Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office press release:
On August 8, 2013 at about 8:20 PM, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to the 3000 block of Fieldbrook Road, Fieldbrook for a reported suspicious vehicle parked in front of a residence. The vehicle was described as a gold and black Chevrolet Suburban with more than one occupant. When the deputy arrived in the area, he was southbound on Fieldbrook road, when the vehicle passed him northbound. The deputy turned on the vehicle, which immediately accelerated away from him. The vehicle reach speeds of 60 mph through the downtown 25 mph zone and “launched” over two speed humps.
At this point the deputy activated all emergency lights and siren and attempted to stop the vehicle, which failed to yield. The vehicle reached speeds of 90 mph on Fieldbrook Road and after approximately two miles at these speeds turned onto Buckman Trail Lane, skidded to a stop and crashed into a fence in the 200 block of Buckman Trail Lane.
The driver fled from the vehicle on foot and was able to avoid capture. The deputy did not give foot chase as there were three other suspects that remained in the vehicle. One of those subjects was Melanne Nicole Egger (26). The deputy asked Egger who was driving the vehicle and she provided a name that was later determined to be fictional. A search of the vehicle was conducted and it was determined that the driver was actually William Robert Combs (25). This was based on photographs of the suspect standing in front of the now crashed Suburban and a hand written bill of sale for the vehicle to Combs. Combs also had a felony PRCS warrant for his arrest.
Eggers was arrested for violation of probation, possession of concentrated cannabis and possession of drug paraphernalia (methamphetamine pipe) and transported to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility, where she was booked.
On Thursday September 12, 2013 at about 7:50 PM, the Sheriff’s Office received information that Eggers and Combs were shopping inside the Kmart Store, Anna Sparks Way, McKinleyville. Deputies and a CHP Officer entered the store and met with Eggers who was pushing a shopping cart. Deputies asked Eggers where Combs was and she answered that he left the store and was out at their vehicle. The deputy told Eggers that all exits were covered and that Combs did not leave. Again Eggers insisted that Combs had left the building. Ultimately the deputy located Combs hiding in a stall of the men’s room of Kmart and was arrested without incident.
Combs was transported and booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility for the PRCS warrant (felony) and felony evading. Eggers was also arrested and booked at the Humboldt County Correctional Facility for probation violation and harboring a fugitive.