A Barstow man is behind bars after he crashed an allegedly stolen vehicle into a ditch while trying to evade the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Monday evening.
The Sheriff’s Department said in a news release that their helicopter learned of a vehicle, which had reportedly been stolen out of Phelan, near La Mesa and Aqueduct roads, at about 5:45 p.m. Monday.
The driver of that vehicle, 37-year-old Jason Mitchell, refused to yield to a traffic stop and led deputies on a pursuit that ended when he crashed into a ditch in Victorville, officials said.
“Mitchell then fled the vehicle on foot but was quickly apprehended by deputies,” the release added.
Mitchell faces charges of vehicle theft, possession of a stolen vehicle and failure to yield, the Sheriff’s Department said.
Jail records do not list a failure to yield charge, replacing it with two charges: recklessly evading police and evading by a wrong-way driver.
Mitchell is being held at the High Desert Detention Center in lieu of $50,000 bail, and he’s due to appear in court Wednesday morning.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Deputy C. Lajuj at 760-552-6800 or Sheriff’s Dispatch at 760-956-5001.
To report information anonymously, call WeTip at 1-800-78CRIME (27463) or visit wetip.com.
