A Healdsburg man who evaded law enforcement on Sunday afternoon by hiding in the thickets of Fitch Mountain was arrested and jailed on Monday, March 4, in Santa Rosa.
Donald L. Hughes, 43, was recognized by a Healdsburg Police officer on Sunday afternoon, March 3, who then attempted to pull him over. Hughes was driving a late-model Porsche at a slow rate of speed on Healdsburg Avenue, arousing the officer’s curiosity.
When the officer attempted to pull the vehicle over, the driver at first slowed as if to comply, then took off at a high rate of speed northbound on Healdsburg Avenue. He turned onto Powell Avenue and raced up the hill to Villa Chanticleer, where he apparently abandoned his vehicle and “foot-bailed,” i.e. fled on foot, into the woods of Fitch Mountain. The vehicle was impounded at the scene.
Healdsburg Police called for an assist from the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office helicopter, but after an hour-long hunt law enforcement gave up the active search.
At 3:09pm the following day, Monday, Santa Rosa Police arrested Hughes for public intoxication and violation of probation and informed Healdsburg Police that he was in custody. He was heavily intoxicated and creating a disturbance in the Bennet Valley neighborhood near Summerfield Road.
Healdsburg Police said Hughes was wearing extremely muddy clothes when he was interviewed in jail, suggesting his Fitch Mountain escape was perilous. It was not known how he made it to Santa Rosa from Healdsburg.
Healdsburg Police charged him with one felony charge of evading an officer, as well as resisting arrest, driving without an interlock device, violation of probation, reckless driving, driving the wrong way on a road and driving with a suspended license from a prior DUI.
The Santa Rosa charges were similar vehicle and probation violations, and included the charge of public intoxication.
His first court hearings were held on Wednesday morning, following which Hughes remained in custody at the Main Adult Detention Facility in Santa Rosa, with an increased bail of $700,000. Bail has since increased to $1 million.
