Oroville man arrested after wild Yuba-Sutter chase

An Oroville man led police on a wild chase through three Yuba-Sutter cities Sunday night before he was finally captured after he crashed into a series of fences in Yuba City.

Joseph K. Simpson, 34, is accused of sideswiping a vehicle while driving the wrong way on the Fifth Street Bridge in Marysville and "blowing through" multiple red-lights and stop signs, including several major intersections in Linda, Marysville and Yuba City, the California Highway Patrol reported.

There were no reports of injuries, the CHP said.

Simpson is suspected of being under the influence of methamphetamine, the CHP said.

He was eventually arrested just before 8 p.m. on Lynn Way and Plumas Street after crashing into a wooden fence, then into a metal fence, CHP Office Roberto Cooke said Monday.

"It's surprising that he didn't plow into more people," Cooke said.

Authorities said the chase began on North Beale Road around 7:48 p.m. when officers tried to stop Simpson's speeding Honda Accord that turned on Beede Avenue near Yuba College.

The Honda driver knocked over a road sign and nearly collided with an oncoming CHP vehicle before turning back onto North Beale Road.

"He accelerated to 95 mph and ran the red light at North Beale Road and Walmart, which is one of the busiest intersection (in Linda)," Cooke said.

Officers chased the Honda through Marysville, where it sideswiped the vehicle on the Fifth Street Bridge.

"He continued to flee in an extremely reckless manner going into Yuba City," Cooke said. "He ran stop signs and red lights again, including Highway 20 and Clark Avenue, which is another major intersection."

The driver crashed into multiple fences surrounding a swimming pool at an apartment complex near Lynn Way and was finally taken into custody, Cooke said.

Simpson was booked into the Sutter County Jail without bail on suspicion of evading police with wanton disregard for public safety, possession of a controlled substance and driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Simpson's recent criminal history includes a felony case in Butte County for evading police last year and two misdemeanor cases, one case involving hit-and-run and the other involving drug possession.

Court records show Simpson was out on bail bonds in both cases. All three cases are pending in Butte County Superior Court.

CONTACT Rob Parsons at rparsons@appealdemocrat.com or 749-4785. Find him on Facebook at /ADcrimebeat or on Twitter at @ADcrimebeat.