Parolee arrested after long multi-agency chase

June 14, 2006

A wanted, potentially armed and dangerous parolee at large fleeing police and deputy sheriffs crashed his car into a tree on D and Sixth streets and then fled on foot before being arrested early June 7, said Sgt. Ken Savano of the Petaluma Police Department.

At 12:49 a.m., a Petaluma police officer spotted Leslie Reese III, 39, of Petaluma driving a dark green, 1989 Pontiac Firebird near Highway 101 and Lakeville Street. Reese was driving over the posted speed limit, and when the officer tried to stop him, he raced away in his vehicle southbound on the highway toward Marin County, reaching speeds over 100 mph.

As Reese entered Marin County, dispatch personnel in the sheriff's office assisted police units.

Petaluma officers lost sight of Reese, but Novato police located him on Novato Boule-vard, and continued to pursue him as he headed toward D Street. Novato police lost sight of the vehicle on D Street, and Petaluma police set up spike strips at the western city limits on D Street, anticipating that Reese would try to return to Petaluma.

Within minutes, Sonoma County Sheriff's deputies located Reese's car driving eastbound on D Street, approaching Petaluma, and continued pursuing it. Petaluma police officers deployed two separate spike strips, resulting in both front tires of Reese's car deflating.

Reese continued eastbound on D Street, where he lost control of his car and collided into a tree at Sixth Street. He then fled on foot, and tried to climb over a fence and into a backyard at 541 D St.

After Reese found he wasn't able to scale the fence, he turned to pursuing officers and said, "Just shoot me!" A deputy sheriff deployed a Taser, and Reese was taken into custody without further incident.

Reese was booked into Sonoma County Jail for evading a police officer, a parole violation and hit and run.