Left: Johnny; Right: Willey | TCSO

Trinity County Sheriff’s Office press release: 

On Wednesday, April 11, 2018 at approximately 11:30 a.m., two Trinity County Sheriff’s Deputies attempted to make a traffic stop on a blue ATV driving on Highway 3, north of Hayfork. 

 

The ATV operator fled from deputies at a high rate of speed north on Carr Creek Road and eventually abandoned the vehicle after several miles before fleeing into a wooded area. Responding deputies and officers from the California Highway Patrol and US Forest Service established a perimeter.

California Highway Patrol helicopter H16 responded to the area and began assisting with the search. 

Trinity County Sheriff’s Office K9 Johnny was deployed by his handler on a track into a wooded drainage. Johnny located the suspect — Michael Richard Willey, DOB: 05/08/90, of Layton, Utah — who was brought into custody without further incident. 

Willey is charged with: 

  • 2800.1(a) VC - Evading a Peace Officer
  • 148(a)(1) PC - Obstruct, resist a Peace officer
  • 12500(a) VC - Operate a vehicle without a license 
  • 4000(a)(1) VC - expire registration
  • 16028(a) VC - Operate vehicle without insurance