Two Suspects Arrested in Placer County After 11-mile Police Pursuit
An 11-mile police chase in Rocklin on Monday ended with the arrest of two men suspected of committing an assault and home invasion in Lincoln. Placer County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Christopher Lee Smith, 29, and Jasper William Daniel, 33, both from Sacramento.
The pair are accused of invading a home in rural Lincoln on McCourtney Road, and assaulting the occupant.
According to the Placer County Sheriff’s Office, at about 11:30 AM on Monday, April 6, a 65-year-old male victim stated that a man entered the Lincoln home he was visiting. The victim was visiting a friend’s home in rural north Lincoln, at the 8200 block of McCourtney Road, while the friend was at work.
The victim reports that a male, unknown to him, entered the home through an unlocked door. The victim stated the male suspect was armed with a crowbar. A fight ensued, and the victim grabbed the homeowner’s shotgun. There was a struggle for the gun, which resulted in a shot being discharged onto the front porch. The suspect, later identified as Smith, then choked, beat and kicked the victim.
The chase ended on the small cul-de-sac of Aspen Court in Rocklin.
Smith left the scene in a waiting car driven by Daniel. The victim managed to get the license plate number and a description of the car and called police. Shortly after, a Lincoln police officer spotted the car and attempted to pull it over. The suspects refused to stop, and a pursuit ensued. A California Highway Patrol helicopter assisted in the pursuit, which ended after eleven miles on Aspen Court in Rocklin, twenty miles from the original crime scene, where the suspects stopped their vehicle and surrendered.
Daniel and Smith were taken to Placer County Jail and booked on multiple charges. Smith was charged with four felonies including home invasion robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, and conspiracy. Daniel was booked for the same charges, along with driving under the influence of drugs, evasion with wanton disregard for public safety, driving on a suspended licensed and being under the influence of a controlled substance. Bail was set for Daniel at $160,000 and $106,000 for Smith.
The victim was treated for injuries at the scene.
Records show that Smith was arrested in February 2014 for speeding, driving without a licence or evidence of financial responsibility, failure to appear in court, along with possession and transportation of a controlled substance and paraphernalia.
