Sonoma Sheriff's Deputies Track Down, Arrest U-Haul Chase Suspect

SONOMA COUNTY, CA -- A man who eluded police for a week after allegedly leading authorities on a high-speed chase from Santa Rosa to San Francisco has been captured. On Wednesday, March 8, deputies arrested the suspect in the March 1 incident and also arrested a woman who lived in the apartment where he was found.

Joseph Lopes, a 40-year-old Rohnert Park man, allegedly led deputies on a high speed pursuit from Santa Rosa to San Francisco around 9 pm on March 1 after running a stop sign and driving left of double yellow lines. He was driving a Ford U-Haul pickup at the time and reached speeds at over 100 mph on the freeway. The pursuit was discontinued in San Francisco as his erratic driving was determined to pose too great of a threat to the community.

The U-Haul was found abandoned in San Jose the next day. Deputies conducted follow-up on the rented U-Haul and found that Lopes had rented the truck. Deputies recognized Lopes as the driver of the truck and found that he had a felony no-bail warrant for burglary and fraud.

At about 9:30 am Wednesday morning, deputies received information that Lopes may be staying in an apartment in the 2000 block of Piner Road in Santa Rosa. Upon arrival, deputies conducted a probation search of the apartment and located Lopes hiding in a bedroom.

Police say he surrendered as soon as he heard the barking from Scout, a Sheriff’s canine, who was about to search the apartment.

Deputies continued a probation search of the apartment and located a stolen handheld police radio belonging to the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office. The radio had been reported stolen from a Search and Rescue vehicle on the Mendocino coast in November, 2016.

Lopes was ultimately booked for his original no-bail warrant, plus the $140,000 warrant relating to the pursuit and a new charge of possession of the stolen police radio.

Living in the apartment was 32-year-old Carrie Doyle. She was also arrested for possession of the stolen radio and methamphetamine charges. Her bail was set at $6,000.

Image via Sonoma County Sheriff's Office