Lake County authorities arrest man on suspicion of driving stolen BMW nearly 100 mph

Austin Schweitzer, 26, of Lakeport, was booked into Lake County Jail.|
ALEXANDRIA BORDAS
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

A man was arrested in Lake County Monday after allegedly driving a stolen BMW sedan at speeds near 100 mph before losing control, then parking the car and fleeing on foot.

The driver, 26-year-old Austin Schweitzer of Lakeport, was in the Clearlake Oaks area driving east on Highway 20 at 1:30 p.m. when a Lake County sheriff’s deputy in his patrol car spotted his BMW.

The deputy saw Schweitzer swerve past a tractor-trailer over double yellow lines near the Orchard Shores Mobile Home Park, the sheriff’s office said in a statement.

Sheriff’s deputies made several failed attempts to stop Schweitzer, who they recorded driving at speeds close to 100 mph.

The BMW was reported stolen from the Power Mart in Lucerne.

Deputies think Schweitzer lost control of the BMW before leaving it parked on the side of Highway 20 and Y Road and then running behind a nearby residence.

He was taken into custody there by Lake County deputies and booked into the county jail for allegedly possessing a stolen vehicle and evading law enforcement.

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