Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On Nov. 9, 2022, at about 8:44 a.m., a Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputy on patrol in the area of the 1800 block of 5th Street, in Eureka, observed a vehicle traveling recklessly at a high rate of speed.

The deputy attempted a traffic stop on the vehicle and the vehicle failed to yield, fleeing northbound on U.S. Highway 101 reaching speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour. The deputy pursued the vehicle for approximately 1.5 miles before discontinuing due to public safety concerns. Shortly after discontinuing the pursuit, the deputy received information that that vehicle was involved in a single-vehicle traffic collision in the area of Highway 101 and the Sunset Avenue overpass, near Arcata. Following the collision, the driver, 22-year-old Mauricio Malakai Casillas, fled on foot. Casillas was later located and detained by officers with the Cal Poly Humboldt University Police Department on the 3400 block of LK Wood Boulevard.

Casillas was arrested and booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of evading a peace officer (VC 2800.2), reckless driving (VC 23103(a)), hit and run (VC 20002(a)) and driving under the influence (VC 23152(e)).

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the following agency for their coordination and assistance with this investigation: Arcata Police Department, California Highway Patrol and Cal Poly Humboldt University Police Department.

Anyone with information about this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.