Chris Mell led Sheriff’s Deputies on a high speed chase earlier this week
Staff Report
Humboldt Sentinel
With the crucial assistant of a canine, an escaped parolee and his alleged accomplice are spending the night in the clink.
Fortuna resident Christopher Glen Mell, 30, had evaded the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office in a vehicle earlier this week, and the convicted felon was also suspected of illegally possessing a firearm.
At about 4:20 p.m. today, a Fortuna Police Department detective received a tip from the Rio Dell Police Department concerning this wanted suspect, suggesting that he was at a home located at 129 Basayo Village in Fortuna.
Uniformed FPD patrol officers, along with FPD Investigation Unit detectives responded to the residence, and immediately noticed movement within a bedroom of the residence, although verbal contact with the occupants could not be established. Just afterwards, a motorist arrived at the apartment complex and told police he had responded there at Mell’s request to transport him.
With the aid of state parole agents, RDPD and HCSO deputies, law enforcement secured a perimeter around the apartment, while FPD called in sergeant Jason Kadle, their K-9 handler, to bring in ‘Zorro’ to find Mell, and after getting permission over the phone from the apartment tenant to enter, officers attempted to contact Mell at the front door.
Still refusing to communicate with the police, the officers made several verbal commands — as did their K-9 dog, whose barked notifications of his “intent to enter” apparently motivated the occupants to announce themselves and surrender, according to a press statement by sergeant Aaron Starcher.
First to be arrested was 25-year-old Fortuna resident Angela King, who was wanted on a felony arrest warrant; soon afterwards, Mell came forward and was taken into custody without further incident. Both were transported to county jail.
“When law enforcement agencies are willing to come together, share information and provide mutual aid the outcome is generally positive for the communities in which we serve,” Starcher stated. “With the assistance of each of these allying agencies we were able to make the city of Fortuna a safer place tonight and do it in a manner that was the safest for our officers. The implementation of the K-9 program at the Fortuna Police Department has once again proven to be an effective resource for our officers with assisting them I the apprehension of potentially dangerous suspects.”
