Three Arrested After Calaveras County Chase Ends In Crash
Valley Springs, CA – A chase in Calaveras County ended in a crash where two of the suspects were flown from the scene and the third was taken to a local hospital for treatment of their injuries.
A deputy, spotting a vehicle with an expired registration, attempted to pull it over recently on Highway 12 in Valley Springs. Instead, the driver hit the gas. Sheriff’s officials say that when the driver turned onto Chestnut Street, he was “dangerously maneuvering into oncoming traffic.”
The pursuit continued in the downtown area, with the vehicle reaching speeds of about 65 miles per hour, according to sheriff’s officials. While on Paloma Road, the driver lost control and crashed into an open field about a mile east of Watertown Road, north of Highways 12 and 26.
The three suspects were able to get out of the vehicle and run but were quickly chased down and handcuffed within 100 feet of the crash site. All the suspects were hurt in the wreck. 25-year-old Gabriel Gurion of West Point and 32-year-old Michael Lyle of Pioneer were airlifted from the scene for treatment. The third suspect, 20-year-old Mary Jeffcrum of Mountain Ranch, was taken by ground ambulance to a local hospital for treatment. Sheriff’s officials relayed that all were medically cleared and then arrested.
During the chase, the suspects tossed a semi-automatic handgun. A vehicle search also turned up a rifle and a small amount of methamphetamine. Lyle had three Amador County felony arrest warrants already and now faces charges for felony vehicle evasion, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of a firearm as a prohibited person. Gurion, who had an outstanding felony warrant for probation violation, was charged with fleeing deputies, as was Jeffcrum, for resisting, delaying, or obstructing a peace officer.
Of note, in June 2023, Gurion was arrested after a probation compliance check at his West Point home found him hiding in a closet and uncovered multiple weapons, as detailed here.
