VENTURA — Perhaps the various parole boards affiliated with the California Department of Corrections need to review the guidelines they communicate to those felons who are released from prison with specific parole terms.
One would expect that such guidelines would include admonitions against driving like a maniac on public streets, attempting to outrun cops in hot pursuit of reckless drivers, and driving around with loaded shotguns that have been stolen.
Absent such clear instructions, many parolees may simply not understand how they need to behave if they’re to avoid additional time spent as guests of the State of California in what can only be described as less than ideal accommodations.
Perhaps—although it’s a bit doubtful—that’s the case with 30-year-old Ventura resident Dante Payne who, on the afternoon of July 17th, failed to stop his vehicle at the behest of CHP officers who observed Payne’s Ford pickup truck driving northbound on U.S. 101 in a fashion that led them to suspect he may have been driving under the influence.
According to the Ventura Police Department’s Watch Commander’s report to the media, Payne failed to stop and exited the freeway, driving onto Ventura’s downtown streets.
It was at that point that “Ventura Police officers took over the pursuit” which quickly reached speeds of 60 MPH. As Payne’s vehicle had lost “the right front tire” while driving over boulevard center medians, he was soon forced to a halt, whereupon he exited the vehicle in an unsuccessful attempt to flee on foot.
Payne was quickly taken into custody, and as the investigation into the incident progressed, officers learned that Payne had “discarded a loaded and stolen shotgun” at some point during the chase.
He was also determined to be on parole, and was transported to Ventura County Jail for booking on charges of felony evading arrest, felon in possession of a loaded and stolen firearm, possession of an altered weapon, and parole violation.
