Calaveras County Chase Reaches Speeds Of Over 90 mph
Calaveras County, CA – A man from Angels Camp is wanted after he led deputies on a high-speed chase along Highway 12 in Calaveras County on Tuesday evening and escaped capture.
The suspect, 38-year-old Juan Ortiz Zamudio, came racing up behind a fully marked patrol pickup on the highway and then began tailgating the deputy, who was forced to pull over and let Zamudio pass, according to sheriff’s spokesperson Lt. Greg Stark. The deputy then tried to make a traffic stop, but after Zamudio pulled over, he took off when the deputy was approaching his pickup on foot, westbound towards the San Joaquin County line.
While pursuing the suspect, the deputy witnessed the suspect passing other vehicles over double lines at a speed that reached just over 90 mph. Suddenly, Zamudio turned onto a side road in Clements and jumped out of the still moving truck. He then ran into a large orchard. Backup arrived, including the San Joaquin Sheriff’s office and California Highway Patrol, and a search of the area was conducted with no sign of the suspect.
Deputies also checked Zamudio’s residence, but he was not there either. Lt. Stark detailed, “Over the next several days, deputies will continue to look for the suspect. No further information at this time.”
Zamudio faces felony charges of evading with a wanton disregard for public safety. He also had an outstanding felony warrant for probation violations related to battery charges in the county. Anyone with information on Zamudio’s whereabouts is asked to contact the sheriff’s office at 209-754-6500.
