Sebastopol police pursue, arrest motorcycle rider

An attempted stop of a motorcycle rider late Monday night for an illegal turn led to a police pursuit from Sebastopol to Camp Meeker, according to Sebastopol police.

The man on the sport motorcycle was a Paradise resident who was wanted on a suspected domestic violence case, was on probation on a weapons conviction and was driving with a suspended license, said Sebastopol Sgt. Joe Furry, who pursued the rider.

Furry said he tried to stop the man near the Redwood Marketplace shopping center on Highway 116 north for an illegal turn against a red light. Instead of stopping, the man rode his bike over a raised curve and turned back onto the highway, speeding out of town, the sergeant said.

The sergeant and a second officer followed the rider on Highway 116 to Occidental Road then west to Camp Meeker. There was little traffic and speeds varied from about 35-80 mph, Furry said. The chase started just before midnight and lasted under 20 minutes.

The sergeant and officer were the only two on duty and Furry said he was about to stop the pursuit so they could return to town when the rider tried a sharp left turn in Camp Meeker onto a narrow rural roadway and got into trouble on the soft shoulder and the pursuit ended. The policemen arrested Jerry Klemme, 45, on suspected felony evasion, the warrant and suspended license.

He was booked into the Sonoma County Jail with bail set at $30,000.

You can reach Staff Writer Randi Rossmann at 707-521-5412 or randi.rossmann@pressdemocrat.com.