Photo: Michaelis D. Brown
LIVERMORE — Before California Highway Patrol officers could arrest him, an arsonist set multiple cars on fire and even crashed into gasoline pumps at a 7-11. All this commotion kept first responders from three agencies busy on May 10th.
First, just after midnight, Dublin police responded to a report of a suspicious car in commercial area in the 6400 block of Sierra Court, which is normally deserted at that time. When responding officers arrived, the driver refused to pull over and led officers on a brief freeway chase.
Meanwhile, three vehicles in the same area were discovered on fire, and an exterior wall of a business was also burning. All these fires were subsequently extinguished by firefighters.
Dublin police continued pursuing the driver onto Interstate 580, but eventually lost sight of him. However, a short time later a CHP officer spotted the driver and picked up the pursuit.
This second freeway chase turned into a repeat performance. A CHP officer tried to pull over the driver, but again the driver refused to comply. This time the driver sped away on I-580 at speeds exceeding 100 mph.
Eventually, the driver exited at Vasco Road and proceeded to Las Positas Road. Along the way, the driver sped through a parking lot and crashed into a CHP patrol car.
Once again, the driver managed to get away from officers in hot pursuit. However, a short time later, a CHP dispatcher received a report of a driver crashing into gas pumps at a 7-11 at South Vasco and Las Positas Road.
Not surprisingly, the driver fled from the scene again. However, this time CPH officers nailed him. Officers arrested the driver, identified as Michaelis D. Brown, 34 of Discovery Bay.
Brown’s faces multiple charges including arson and evading officers with disregard for safety, as well as leaving the scene of an accident and assaulting an officer or firefighter.
Brown remains in custody at Santa Rita Jail in lieu of $255,000 bond.
