Humvee stolen from Santa Rosa National Guard armory in July recovered after shooting, chase: CHP
SANTA ROSA, Calif. (KGO) -- The CHP says that a Humvee stolen from the National Guard armory in Santa Rosa July 3 has finally been recovered after an empty PG&E truck was shot at Tuesday, which prompted a high-speed chase.
"He fired a handgun at a PG&E truck!" exclaimed the dispatcher on scanner traffic.
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The chase happened after someone shot up the empty PG&E truck west of Monte Rio. Sheriff's office dispatchers reportedly received a call just before 7 a.m. that a man in camouflage Humvee shot at the utility truck.
Deputies responded but the suspect drove away. CHP officers reportedly found him driving the Humvee eastbound on Bodega Highway, just outside Sebastopol. They followed him and the pursuit continued on Highway 116, then south on Stony Point Road, the Sonoma County sheriff said.
"I got eyeballs on the Humvee EB on the highway from Grand View. CHP is behind a shots fired suspect vehicle. They may be armed with a firearm," said the dispatcher.
For more than 25 minutes, officers and deputies pursued the stolen Humvee from the Jenner area, eventually to Penngrove at all sorts of speeds.
This is what could be heard on the scanner during the chase:
"Suspect back down to 65 miles per hour..."
"Speeds are about 70 miles per hour and traffic is yielding..."
"We're at 80 miles per hour approaching Stoney Point now..."
The chase ended after Petaluma police used a spike strip. The chase continued but the tires began to deflate, and the Humvee stopped on Old Redwood Highway near Hatchery Road in Penngrove. The suspect was arrested.
He's been identified as 34-year-old Anthony Stabile.
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Law enforcement photos show a gun, ammunition, and an old Black Sabbath ticket were all inside the Humvee.
CHP returned the Humvee to the National Guard.
Stabile was booked into jail on two outstanding misdemeanor warrants, driving on a suspended license, driving without an interlock device, and the following felonies: loaded firearm in public, shooting at an unoccupied vehicle, firing a gun from a vehicle, vandalism, unlawful possession of a gun, a loaded unregistered gun, vehicle theft, possession of a stolen vehicle, and evading.
He is being held on $1,021,000 bail.
The CHP says they believe Stabile is the same person who stole the vehicle back in July.
The CHP said back in July there was evidence that someone climbed the fence to break into the armory and then used the vehicle to break out. Armories are often used the by National Guard as a place to train and store military equipment. The CHP said it is possible that the suspect may have a military background.
Once out on the road, CHP Officer Marcus Hawkins said the calls started coming in of a military-style vehicle driving recklessly with no lights. He said CHP launched units to the area of River Road and Barnes Road but found nothing.
"We had our entire morning shift get briefed on it. The Sonoma County Sheriff's Department is also aware of what happened. We were hoping that when daylight came up, we would find an abandoned Humvee somewhere out in the west county, but unfortunately, that has not been the case yet," said Hawkins.
The Humvee reportedly didn't have any plates, and likely was not designed for street use. He added there were no weapons or ammunition in the vehicle.
PG&E released the following statement:
"The safety of our coworkers and contractors is our most important responsibility. PG&E is aware of an incident that took place in Duncan Mills on the Sonoma Coast early this morning where shots were fired at an unoccupied PG&E vehicle.
The Sonoma County Sheriff's Department is investigating the incident and PG&E Security is supporting them in this effort. PG&E has been informed that there is a suspect in custody."
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