Inyo Sheriff K9 Aids in Arrest After Motorcycle Chase Near Big Pine

Inyo Sheriff K9 Aids in Arrest After Motorcycle Chase Near Big Pine

BIG PINE, Calif. — A search south of Big Pine ended with an arrest Sunday night after an Inyo County Sheriff’s Office K9 followed a trail for roughly three-quarters of a mile from an abandoned motorcycle to a suspect.

The incident began at approximately 9:41 p.m. on October 4, according to a release from the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff’s Office personnel attempted to stop a motorcycle traveling on U.S. Highway 395 south of Big Pine, but the rider continued away from law enforcement.

The motorcycle reportedly reached speeds over 100 mph before leaving the highway and moving onto dirt roads.

Deputies eventually stopped pursuing the motorcycle when road conditions and poor visibility made continuing unsafe.

The motorcycle was found later near a barbed-wire fence, where it appeared to have crashed. By the time law enforcement reached the motorcycle, the rider was gone.

Authorities later determined the motorcycle had been reported stolen.

A larger search operation followed.

Personnel from the Bishop Police Department, Mono County Sheriff’s Office, California Highway Patrol and Bureau of Land Management joined the Inyo Sheriff’s Office in establishing a perimeter around the area, after which an Inyo Sheriff’s K9 began tracking from the site of the motorcycle. The dog followed the trail through approximately three-quarters of a mile of surrounding terrain and led law enforcement to the suspect, identified as Lane Turner.

Turner was taken into custody and booked into the Inyo County Jail on the following charges:

• VC 12500(c) – Driving without a valid driver’s license — Misdemeanor
• PC 148(a)(1) – Resisting or delaying a peace officer — Misdemeanor
• VC 22107 – Unsafe turn or lane change — Infraction
• VC 22108 – Failure to signal — Infraction
• VC 22348(b) – Speed in excess of 100 mph — Infraction
• VC 24600(a) – Required vehicle taillamp violation — Infraction
• VC 23103(a) – Reckless driving — Felony
• VC 2800.2(a) – Felony evading a peace officer
• PC 496(a) – Receiving or possessing known stolen property — Felony

The Inyo County Sheriff’s Office thanked the other responding agencies for their roles in the search, and highlighted local interagency partnerships in the community.

The Sheriff’s Office also pointed to the usefulness of its K9 program. In addition to this incident, a Sheriff’s K9 helped apprehend the suspect in a shooting case in Olancha last month.

Turner is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.