Sonora Man Sentenced Following 38 Mile High Speed Chase

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Sonora, CA — 48-year-old Sonora man, Joshua Gagen, was sentenced to the maximum of six years and four months in prison following a February high-speed chase in Tuolumne County.

The Tuolumne County District Attorney’s Office reports that Gagen pled guilty to a list of charges following the chase occurring on February 24, starting at around 11 pm, in Columbia State Historic Park. Gagen refused to pull over for a traffic stop and led officials on a chase through the Big Hill area, up to Twain Harte, down Highway 108 into Sonora, and then back up to Big Hill. At one point, he threw a heavy car jack out the window toward a deputy’s car.

Gagen was eventually stopped when an officer used a Precision Immobilization Technique to spin the vehicle around and bring it to a stop.

Gagen then jumped out and tried to run away. When he was captured, he allegedly yelled, “I got a gun. I’m gonna kill you.”

It took five law enforcement officials to safely arrest him and transport him to county jail.

The 38-mile chase spanned 44 minutes.

The case was investigated by the sheriff’s office and the CHP and prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Samantha Arnerich. The DA’s office notes that Gagen has a lengthy criminal history spanning over 20 years, including two separate felony evasion cases.