Novato man arrested after trying to flee deputy in Santa Rosa

A Novato man was arrested early Thursday after he tried to flee a deputy, according to the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office.

Ian Vaughn Neville, 29, sped off in a gray pickup when the deputy attempted to pull him over for blowing a stop sign at about 3 a.m. in the Moorland neighborhood of southwest Santa Rosa, sheriff’s Sgt. Cecile Focha said. Neville went down a dead-end street, slamming into a curb before he turned and headed toward the deputy, she said.

“It was obvious that the front tire was flat as sparks flew from the rim,” Focha said in a statement.

The deputy gave chase, albeit a slow one. The truck was going about 35 mph on the deserted roadway, Focha said. There were no cars or pedestrians in the area.

“The driver was clearly having a very difficult time controlling the truck…,” she said. “About half a mile into the chase it began to fishtail and careened across the road, colliding with a small tree.”

Neville and a passenger then jumped out of the truck and took off running, Focha said. It didn’t take long before the deputy caught up to Neville.

Deputies later spotted the passenger unharmed. She was released at the scene.

Neville was arrested for evading and resisting arrest, as well as possession of a controlled substance - after deputies found a package of heroin in his truck, Focha said. Neville also had felony and misdemeanor warrants from Sonoma and Marin counties, Focha added.

You can reach Staff Writer Eloísa Ruano González at 521-5458 or eloisa.gonzalez@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @eloisanews.