Transient arrested in Ukiah after high-speed chase involving stolen car

Ukiah police on Tuesday arrested a 29-year old transient man who allegedly led officers on a high-speed pursuit in a stolen car before crashing into other vehicles.

About 9:50 a.m., a police detective saw a red and black Mazda Miata that matched the description of a stolen car driving near Old River Road and Tindall Ranch Road southeast of Ukiah. As the detective followed the car, Ukiah police dispatch ran the license plate number and confirmed the Mazda was reported stolen from Lake County.

Ukiah patrol officers arrived and tried to stop the car but it failed to do so, leading officers on a high-speed chase back into Ukiah city limits, police said. While traveling westbound on Talmage Road, the driver tried to swerve around other cars and collided with a large flatbed truck and pickup, according to the Ukiah Police Department.

No one was injured, but officers arrested the driver, identified as Joshua Torres, who told police he was transient. Officers found Torres was on felony probation for earlier drug offenses and had an active Mendocino County arrest warrant, police said.

Torres was booked into Mendocino County Jail on suspicion of possessing stolen property, recklessly evading a police officer, violating probation and having an active arrest warrant. An unidentified passenger was questioned but released, police said.

You can reach Staff Writer J.D. Morris at 707-521-5337 or jd.morris@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @thejdmorris.