SALINAS — The California Highway Patrol has arrested the female half of a fugitive couple from Missouri after a tip from a bail bondsman helped them track down a stolen vehicle on Wednesday night. Officers arrested 36-year-old Yolanda Goodwin, though her husband — 39-year-old Jason Thomas Piel — managed to escape.
On Wednesday the 15th at about 5:30 PM, the CHP received a call from a bail bondsman out of Missouri alerting them that an armed couple was travelling northbound on Highway 101 from King City.
A CHP officer in Monterey spotted what appeared to be the vehicle out on Boronda Road. It then exited on Sala Road and traveled towards Russell. When the officer reached the intersection of Main Street and Russell, he was able to clearly see the vehicle was indeed the one described.
The vehicle then entered the Heritage Garden apartment complex, and the officer parked on Main Street to wait for backup. While waiting, he watched the vehicle park, at which point the man got out and entered the complex. The woman then moved over to the driver’s seat and drove away.
Once she reached Main Street, she was pulled over and arrested on stolen vehicle charges as well as possession of stolen property. She told officers that Piel had driven the vehicle from Missouri to Salinas while she’d been asleep, and that she’d gotten scared and tried to leave.
Additional officers arrived but could not locate Piel, who is currently wanted for domestic violence, robbery, and failure to register as a sex offender. He is considered to be armed and dangerous.
UPDATE 6-20-16: Jamies Piel has since been located and taken into custody by Salinas Police. He is due to be relocated to Missouri to face charges.
