A 31-year-old man is behind bars after leading officers on a high-speed chase around Citrus Heights Friday night, according to police.
Lt. Chad Courtney said the incident began with the suspect reportedly vandalizing a vehicle by slashing its tires and breaking windows out. He said officers initiated a “high risk stop” after observing the man inside a vehicle on Auburn Boulevard near Donegal Drive, at which point the suspect fled and led police on a six-mile pursuit around the city, with speeds ranging between 40 and 90 miles per hour.
Courtney said the pursuit traveled on Auburn Boulevard to Old Auburn Road, made a turn onto Sunrise Boulevard, another turn onto Greenback Lane, and then ended around 11 p.m. at Greenback and Shupe Drive, when the vehicle being pursued collided with a curb and stopped in a parking lot. The suspect, Ajai Narayan, was subsequently arrested without incident.
Although Narayan drove in the opposite lane of traffic at times and sped through “at least two red lights” during the pursuit, Courtney said no other vehicles were damaged and no injuries occurred — other than minor injuries to the suspect.
According to online records from the Sacramento County Jail, Narayan had a previous warrant by the Tehama County Sheriff’s Department and now faces five additional felony charges and one misdemeanor.
Narayan’s charges include evading a police officer and driving in a reckless manner, driving in the opposite flow of traffic, and threatening to cause criminal harm. He also faces a stalking-related charge, vandalism with paint or other liquid, and misdemeanor “harassing by telephone.”
His bail has been set at $50,000, with a court date of Jan 4, 2017.
A 31-year-old man is behind bars after leading officers on a high-speed chase around Citrus Heights Friday night, according to police.
Lt. Chad Courtney said the incident began with the suspect reportedly vandalizing a vehicle by slashing its tires and breaking windows out. He said officers initiated a "high risk stop" after observing the man inside a vehicle on...
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