Suspected burglar fires at Ukiah CHP during high-speed chase

A high-speed chase up Highway 101 on Tuesday evening ended with the arrest of a San Jose man in Willits.

The CHP said in a news release that about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Ukiah police officers attempted to pull over a Kia sedan suspected to be involved in local burglaries. The driver refused to stop and fled northbound on Highway 101, pursued by CHP officers, for 24 miles before exiting at Highway 20 in Willits. There, spike strips flattened the Kia’s tires.

The car continued north, however, and at one point the driver fired a handgun out of his window at the pursuing officers, the CHP said.

No officers or cars were hit.

The driver then exited the car and ran into a nearby creek, where he was located with the help of the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit, the release said.

Police identified the driver as Ryan Joseph Maxstadt, who sheriff’s deputies were seeking in connection with mail theft Tuesday on Robinson Creek Road.

He was taken to Mendocino County Jail on suspicion of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and felony reckless evading of a police officer.

The Sheriff’s Office said its detective unit would also seek to have Maxstadt arrested on suspicion of conspiracy, possession of stolen property, possession of burglary tools, identity/mail theft and violation of probation.

The Sheriff’s Office said it also arrested another person, Amanda Delvalle, on Tuesday in connection with the suspected mail theft on Robinson Creek Road after deputies found a package of stolen mail at her home on South State Street. Delvalle was arrested on suspicion of possession of stolen property, violation of probation, conspiracy and mail theft.