Stolen vehicle chase leads to fatal Yuba County crash, killing mom and daughter

A mother and her daughter from Yuba County were killed in a crash in Oliverhurst on Wednesday after the driver of a stolen pickup truck headed the wrong way on Highway 70 while trying to evade a Sheriff’s Department vehicle and struck two other vehicles, the California Highway Patrol said.

The vehicle theft suspect, Chase Hammonds, 25, of Yuba City, suffered minor injuries in the crash and was expected to be released from the hospital late Thursday, according to a news release from the Yuba County Sheriff’s Department.

Hammonds faces two counts of murder, along with charges of vehicle theft, evading police, crossing a divided highway and hit-and-run, the Sheriff’s Department said. He also is suspected of violating probation from stolen vehicle convictions.

Sheriff’s officials said Cary Ojeda, 55, and her 36-year-old daughter, Deanna Hernandez, both of Linda, were killed in Wednesday’s crash.

Stolen vehicle pursuit leads to crashes

At 2:08 p.m. Wednesday, CHP dispatchers received a phone call from the Sheriff’s Department to report deputies were chasing a stolen 2006 Ford F-250 pickup pulling a trailer, according to a CHP news release.

Shortly before 2 p.m. Wednesday, the Marysville Police Department received a license plate reader notification from a pickup pulling a stolen trailer at Simpson Lane and Ramirez Street, the Sheriff’s Department said.

The police department then told the Sheriff’s Department that the pickup was entering the sheriff’s jurisdiction, according to the release.

Deputies headed to the area.

About 10 minutes later, a Sheriff’s Department sergeant spotted the pickup and tried to pull it over, the release said. The pickup driver failed to stop, and the vehicle chase began.

At one point, the Sheriff’s Department asked for CHP officers to take over the pursuit, which was “at slow speeds,” the CHP said.

At 2:16 p.m., sheriff’s dispatchers reported the stolen Ford was heading the wrong way on Highway 65 and crashed near the Highway 70 split.

Sheriff’s officials said the pickup driver “displayed reckless driving” during the pursuit and entered Highway 70 at the Olivehurst Avenue off-ramp, going the wrong way against oncoming traffic.

The Ford pickup was headed north in a southbound lane, when it crashed head-on with a silver 2015 Dodge Durango heading south in the same lane, according to the CHP.

The Ford’s trailer struck with a green 2005 Chevrolet Silverado, which was also heading south in the same lane, the agency said.

According to the CHP, Ojeda and Hernandez were in the Dodge Durango, with Hernandez driving.

The CHP said the crash caused the Dodge to roll over, and Ojeda and Hernandez became trapped in the vehicle.

Yuba County Undersheriff Nick Morawcznski said deputies at the crash scene performed life-saving measures on the two women until medics arrived.

The mother and daughter were freed from the vehicle and taken to a hospital, where they were pronounced dead.

Hammonds ran from the crashed pickup, before he was captured shortly after and taken into custody, according to the Sheriff’s Department.

Charles McFarland, 45, of Oliverhurst, was driving the Chevrolet and was not injured in the crash, the CHP reported. He did not have any passengers in his vehicle.

The CHP’s Valley Division Multi-Disciplinary Accident Investigation Team arrived to assist with diagramming the crash scene and collecting evidence. Authorities closed the southbound lanes of Highway 70 for about six hours for officers to complete their investigation.

Sheriff’s Office sergeant on administrative leave

The Yuba County Sheriff’s Department sergeant involved in the chase of the stolen pickup was placed on administrative leave in accordance with department protocols.

The agency’s Professional Standards Unit is investigating the vehicle pursuit to determine whether the sergeant’s actions were in compliance with the agency’s policy. The sergeant has worked in law enforcement for 21 years and has been with the Sheriff’s Department for two years.

“I want to extend my sincere condolences to the family who are innocent victims in this tragedy,” Morawcznski said in the release. “I can assure our community that our office will conduct a thorough investigation.”

The CHP’s Yuba-Sutter Area Office is investigating the fatal crash.