Man Leads Placerville Police On High-Speed Chase With Toddler In Back Seat
PLACERVILLE (CBS13) - A Placerville man reportedly led police on a chase of speeds exceeding 100 mph with his baby daughter in the back seat on Wednesday.
The incident started in a Safeway parking lot at about 12:30 p.m. when officers approached Paul Deocampo in his parked vehicle to conduct a probation search.
Deocampo refused to obey commands and started to reach into his vehicle for an unknown object, then started his vehicle and one of the officers reached into the driver's side door to stop him from driving off, police said.
Deocampo drove away, dragging the officer for about 10 feet. The officer was able to break free and Deocampo sped out of the parking lot.
Patrol officers immediately pursued Deocampo as he drove across Highway 50 to Motherlode Drive at high speeds, ignoring all traffic control lights and the lights and sirens of pursuing patrol vehicles, police said.
Deocampo then led officers west on Motherlode Drive, driving 100 mph, weaving in and out of both lanes and through traffic, police said.
He drove to Shingle Springs and got onto eastbound Highway 50 at Ponderosa Road, continued east on Highway 50 while maintaining speeds of more than 100 mph, police said.
Deocampo then took the Redhawk Parkway exit and drove into the parking garage, finally stopping his vehicle inside the parking garage of the casino. Deocampo was taken into custody without further incident.
Deocampo's daughter, under 2, was in a child's seat in the back seat of the vehicle during the pursuit. When officers approached her, she was clearly scared and her seat was tipped sideways from the radical driving, police said.
Deocampo was booked into the El Dorado County jail for a violation of probation, assault on an officer, felony evasion and child endangerment.
The injured officer was checked out at Marshall Hospital and later released with minor injuries.
