One of the Hatfields threatens lives with his Geo

March 18, 2020March 17, 2020 Victoria Metcalf, Assistant Editor

Local law enforcement apprehend their man without incident

Quincy Area CHP Officer Seth Preston talks with Lance William Hatfield, 49, of El Cajon, following his arrest Wednesday, March 11, in Quincy. Photo by Victoria Metcalf

Following a chase that included the suspect driving at high speeds in Quincy, leaving tire marks across the courthouse lawn and narrowly missing pedestrians, local law enforcement officers apprehended a suspect named Hatfield and handcuffed him before taking him to jail.

Members of the Quincy Area CHP and Sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of someone driving a red Geo Metro at speeds of 100 mph on Lee Road on Wednesday, March 12, at 12:21 p.m.

Dispatch reported that eyewitnesses claimed the suspect, Lane William Hatfield, 49, was allegedly attempting to hit pedestrians as he sped down Lee Road.

According to the CHP report, the agency began receiving information from dispatch of a Geo Metro driving recklessly through Quincy.

The initial report indicated the Geo was traveling fast on Lee Road and heading westbound toward Sierra Pacific Industries. Further, the Geo was reported to have allegedly been in multiple near-miss collisions with other vehicles, according to the CHP report.

The CHP was also looking for the whereabouts of a woman believed to have narrowly escaped being hit by the alleged driver. It’s believed that pedestrian had to jump out of the way of the fast-approaching Geo.

“CHP units began responding to the area along with deputies from the Plumas County Sheriff’s Office,” said CHP Officer Seth Preston.

Officers lost sight of the red car in the area. Eyewitnesses claimed that the Geo turned up on Bradley Street at the corner of Lawrence Street. Law enforcement units then followed.

At 12:25 p.m. — just four minutes after getting the initial call — the Geo was spotted driving across the front lawn of the Plumas County Courthouse. Following the lawn incident, after the Geo allegedly nearly hit other pedestrians, Hatfield reportedly headed eastbound on Main Street.

According to CHP Officer Matt Delamontanya, Judge Douglas Prouty was one of the eyewitnesses to the incident at the courthouse.

“Luckily, a Quincy CHP officer was standing by at the CHP office on Main Street and was able to stop the Geo as it passed by,” Preston said.

Hatfield of El Cajon was immediately pulled over to the shoulder on South Lindan Ave. He was then handcuffed and placed in custody without further incident.

Hatfield was booked into the Plumas County Jail on multiple charges, including assault with a deadly weapon (the Geo), reckless driving, vandalism and driving without a driver licensed.

District Attorney David Hollister said March 13 that following being briefed on the incident by CHP, he agreed with booking Hatfield on two felony assault with a deadly weapon charges. “I will review the report on Monday (March 16) to confirm those charges and identify additional charges,” he said.