A naked man who reportedly stole a car near Arbuckle and led law enforcement on a wrong-way pursuit on Interstate 5 was arrested on April 20 after spinning out in the center divider.
Jose Heriberto Bautista-Mata, 24, of Modesto, is facing multiple felony charges, including auto theft and evading an officer with wanton disregard for public safety.
According to Williams Police Lt. Chris Miller, Bautista was first reported to the Colusa County Sheriff’s Office after he was spotted without clothes in front of a residence in the 5000 block of Hankins Road at around 2 AM.
Williams Police Department officers responded to assist the Sheriff’s deputy as they were the closest backup to the call for service, Miller said.
While responding, officers were advised that the nude subject just stole a silver Kia SUV and was last seen driving toward the City of Williams on Hankins Road.
Williams police officers located the vehicle and followed the driver as he drove at a high rate of speed from Hankins Road to E Street, then east onto F Street, where he failed to stop for the posted stop signs.
“Due to the high speed of the Kia and the reckless actions of the driver, the officers lost sight of the Kia for a short time,” Miller said in a news release.
Officers eventually caught up to the vehicle as the driver traveled east on E Street, crossed Sixth Street, and eventually entered the southbound lane on I-5.
Miller said the officers attempted to initiate an enforcement stop, however, the driver fled from the officers for approximately one quarter mile, before he drove across the center median of the freeway and traveled southbound in the northbound lanes.
“Due to the reckless nature of the fleeing suspect, the officers canceled the pursuit and turned off their emergency lights in hopes the driver would return to the correct side of the interstate,” Miller said.
Williams officers reportedly continued to monitor the Kia from a distance and observed the driver had nearly caused several head on collisions.
After continuing another mile the wrong way on the freeway, the driver, later identified as Bautista, veered back into the center median and spun-out, losing control for a short time, before accelerating northbound in the northbound lanes of Interstate 5. The Williams Officers followed the Kia until the driver exited onto E Street eastbound from Interstate 5.
Bautistata then exited the freeway onto E Street and pulled the Kia to a stop in the westbound lane of E Street in front of AM/PM, before he exited the vehicle and fled into the AM/PM parking lot.
Williams police Officers and Colusa County deputies pursued the driver on foot. At one time, Miller said Bautistata punched a Williams police officer in the face in an effort to resist.
Miller said a Taser device was successfully deployed, which allowed officers to take Bautista into custody.
Bautista was booked into the Colusa County Jail on $75,000 bail on charges alleging receiving a stolen vehicle, evading a peace officer, and resisting law enforcement. ■