Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On Nov. 15, 2019, at about 3 a.m., Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies on patrol in the area of Singley Hill Road, Loleta, attempted a traffic stop for a vehicle code violation. The driver of the vehicle, later identified as 46-year-old David William Mahle of Eureka, failed to yield and a pursuit ensued.

Deputies pursued the vehicle onto U.S. Highway 101 northbound where the driver reached speeds in excess of 100 mph. Officers with the California Highway Patrol and the Eureka Police Department were requested to assist deputies. The pursuit continued into and around the Humboldt Hill community. A spike strip was successfully deployed on Humboldt Hill Road. As the vehicle again entered Highway 101 it became disabled, crossing the center median of the highway and crashing into the marsh near the Herrick Avenue southbound on-ramp.

Mahle and a passenger, later identified as 41-year-old Kevin Eric Wangler of McKinleyville, fled from the vehicle on foot and were quickly apprehended by law enforcement on scene.

Mahle was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of felony evading, resisting a peace officer, conspiracy to commit an act injurious to the public health, driving on a suspended license and failure to provide vehicle registration.

Wangler was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of resisting a peace officer, conspiracy to commit an act injurious to the public health and violation of probation, in addition to a felony warrant for revocation of Post Release Community Supervision.

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank our partnering agencies, the California Highway Patrol and the Eureka Police Department, for assisting with the pursuit and apprehension of these two subjects.