MENDOCINO CO., 9/16/25 – Two Solano County men were arrested Sunday in Hopland after allegedly leading police on a more than 20-mile car chase.
Late afternoon Sunday, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office issued a Be On The Lookout, or BOLO, for two men driving a gray Toyota Matrix southbound on U.S. Highway 101.
Officers from the California Highway Patrol and the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office located the car near Willits and attempted a traffic stop.
The driver allegedly failed to stop, resulting in a high-speed chase down Highway 101.
Police allege the car was driven recklessly, including on the wrong side of the road. Due to safety concerns, the CHP and the Sheriff’s Office did not pursue the vehicle.
The Ukiah Police Department then got involved and deployed stop sticks along southbound Highway 101 at North State Street in an attempt to halt the car.
The car drove over the stop sticks, deflating its tires, police said. Despite that, it continued south toward Hopland. Eventually, the front tires came off and the car continued on its rims.
Around 5:15 p.m., the car stopped south of Hopland. The two men — Elie Raphael JeanBaptiste, 28, of Vacaville, and Dominique Jason Gulick, 23, of Vallejo — were taken into custody, police said.
Police said further investigation led to the discovery of a backpack that had been thrown from the car near a Cal Fire station north of Hopland. The backpack allegedly contained a stolen assault weapon.
It was also determined that JeanBaptiste was on parole for a low-level felony.
JeanBaptiste was booked into Mendocino County Jail on suspicion of criminal conspiracy, possession of stolen property, possession of an assault weapon, felony evading, evading in the opposite direction of traffic, a parole violation, being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. He is being held without bail.
Gulick was also booked into Mendocino County Jail on $300,000 bail on suspicion of possession of stolen property, possession of an assault weapon, criminal conspiracy, and destruction of evidence.