A Fremont woman that led a Williams CHP officer on a high-speed pursuit through two counties before crashing her car on Interstate 505 will again be doing another stint in prison.
Superior Court Judge Jeffrey A. Thompson sentenced Zoie Veda Harmon, 34, to three years in state prison for evading a peace officer with willful disregard to the safety of the public.
Harmon pleaded no contest to the felony on Aug. 16 in exchange for a dismissal of charges that she was driving under the influence of drugs, was under the influence of a controlled substance, and was in possession of a controlled substance.
Harmon, who admitted a 20-year history of drug use, previously spent a lengthy stint in an Oklahoma state prison for drug trafficking and firearm possession.
Colusa County Deputy District Attorney Bradley Morrow said Harmon’s attempt to flee a Williams CHP officer at speeds of 130 mph was a dangerous and reckless action that warranted the upper term of three years.
Harmon was arrested after CHP Officer Kyle Zerbel pursued her as she traveled northbound on Interstate 5, north of Hahn Road, in Williams, beginning around midnight on June 23, when he saw the vehicle traveling in the southbound lane at around 100 mph in a 70 mph zone.
After activating his radar, which clocked Harmon at 107 mph, Zerbel made a U-turn in the freeway median and tried to initiate a traffic stop.
Harmen then traveled between 97 and 102 mph as she weaved in and out of traffic before she straddled both lanes and accelerated to 129 mph – once taking a freeway off ramp only to immediately return to I-5.
In Yolo County, Harmen entered Interstate 505 eastbound at a clocked speed of 130 mph, at which time she turned off her headlights.
Kerbel reported he lost sight of Harman’s vehicle in the darkness until she hit her brakes when she lost control.
Harmon’s vehicle then traveled across the freeway and into the westbound lane, narrowly missing oncoming traffic, before veering off through a wire fence and coming to a stop.
Harmon was not injured but was noticeably under the influence of a controlled substance, but was compliant when apprehended, even producing a bag of methamphetamine from her bra when she was placed under arrest around 1 AM.
Her passenger, Robert Andrew Gallardo, 42, of Newark, was charged with being under the influence of a controlled substance, but the charge was dismissed.
Although Harmon has spent a significant period of time previously in prison, Public Defender Albert said many of her previous convictions would have been misdemeanors in California.
Thompson said he couldn’t think of anything more dangerous to innocent motorists than someone driving 130 miles in traffic with their lights off.
Harmon served 82 days in jail for a total of 164 days earned on her sentence, and she will be on three years parole/PRCS when released from prison. ■