Man leads Kings County authorities on 2+ hour pursuit in allegedly stolen vehicle
A man was reportedly arrested on numerous charges after leading Kings County authorities on a 2+ hour pursuit.
Shortly after 1 AM on Saturday, July 23, a man identified as Ryan McGovran reportedly ran a four-way stop sign at the intersection of 16th and Idaho Avenues with a Kings County deputy sheriff driving right behind him.
The sheriff tried to pull him over but McGovran instead tried to speed a way, initiating a pursuit that ultimately lasted over two hours, the Sheriff’s Office said.
The pursuit, which continued throughout Kings County and into parts of Tulare County, reportedly went from surface streets to dirt roads to orchards, the latter of which resulted in so much dust that pursuing authorities were unable to keep track of McGovran from the ground. A KCSO Air-1 helicopter happened to be in the area and continued monitoring McGovran’s movements, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Air-1 soon notified authorities that McGovran’s vehicle had become disabled and McGovran had fled on foot into a nearby dairy, where authorities found him trying to hide in a tractor cab. He was arrested on the spot.
It turned out that McGovran had three warrants out for his arrest out of three separate counties, and the vehicle he was driving turned out to have been stolen out of Kings County. A small amount of methamphetamine was found on him before he was booked, the Sheriff’s Office said.
McGovran was booked on his three warrants as well as suspicion of evading, auto theft, possession of stolen property, and possession of a controlled substance, with bail set at $230,000.
