Hoopa Valley Tribal Police press release:

On 12/11/2013 at about 0520 hrs, an officer from the Hoopa Valley Tribal Police attempted to perform a traffic stop on a camouflage Humvee on Tish Tang Road in Hoopa. The Humvee was reported stolen on 12/10/13 from Kimaw Medical Center. The Humvee failed to yield to the officer’s lights and sirens. It continued on Tish Tang Road failing to yield driving towards Hwy 96. It appeared the stolen vehicle had vehicle problems as it slowed several times and slowly drove forward while continuing to evade the officer. 

The vehicle came to a stop near the intersection of HWY 96 and Tish Tang Road. The driver of the stolen vehicle exited the vehicle and began to run away from the vehicle towards the Trinity River Bridge in Hoopa. The officer chased on foot ordering the suspect to stop. Suspect continued towards the Trinity River below the bridge. After several, more commands to stop, the suspect entered the river. The officer continued to chase the suspect ordering him to stop. The officer lost sight of the suspect and heard the suspect yell for help. A male subject on the bridge said the suspect had went under the water and had not surfaced. The officer continued to search the area towards where the suspect was last observed. The officer entered the water to attempt to locate the suspect and rescue him. After several minutes in the water, the officer was having a hard time walking and had to exit the water due to the cold temperatures. The water temperature was about 45 degrees while the outside air temperature was about 29 degrees. 

Within several minutes, seven other officers from the Hoopa Tribal Police responded to assist in the search for the missing suspect, staging along the Trinity River in various locations. Hoopa Volunteer Fire Dept, Willow Creek Volunteer Fire Dept. and Hoopa Ambulance also responded to the area to assist in the search. 
Hoopa Valley Tribal Police requested a boat be launched to assist in the search from the Hoopa Tribal Environmental Protection Agency. 

About 0811 hrs, the body of the suspect was located under water in the middle of the river below the Trinity River Bridge. 

Investigators from the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office, and a Detective with the Humboldt County Sheriff Office responded to the location to complete the investigation are the request of Hoopa Valley Tribal Police. 

Anyone with any further information can contact Detective Greg Musson of the Humboldt County Sheriff Department. (707) 445-7251.

The suspect has been identified as Darrell Dwight Hostler age 34, of Hoopa.