SUSANVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
THOMAS V. DOWNING, INTERIM CHIEF OF POLICE

Press Release
March 15, 2012

On March 9, 2012 15 at approximately 15 minutes after midnight, a Susanville Police Officer attempted to stop a vehicle for driving without the headlights on during darkness on Ash St. near Bunyan Rd when the car evaded the officer. A vehicle pursuit ensued through the streets of Susanville. The suspect vehicle eventually came to a stop in the Pat Murphy Little League field parking lot near River St. The driver and passenger of the vehicle fled on foot. The passenger, identified as Lexis Aryann-Jill Smith age/19 of Susanville was located hiding nearby and taken into custody. She was arrested for being under the influence of a controlled suspect and resisting an officer. The driver of the vehicle, identified as Armando Lucatero age/18 of Susanville was able to evade officers that night.

On March 14, 2012, the Susanville Police Department received a tip on the whereabouts of Lucatero. Acting on this tip, officers responded to a residence on Bangham Ln. in the Johnstonville area and arrested Lucatero without incident. Lucatero was subsequently booked into the Lassen County Jail and charged with felony evading an officer, and driving without a driver’s license.

The pursuit lasted approximately 3 minutes and traversed approximately 1.2 miles, with suspect vehicle speeds exceeding 70 MPH.

The case has been referred to the Lassen County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.

Tom Downing
Interim Chief of Police