18-05-2025
Woman arrested after leading officers on 100-mile pursuit through Southern California
A woman was arrested after leading officers on a 100-mile pursuit across multiple Southern California counties.
On Saturday morning, Simi Valley police responded to reports that a woman was refusing to leave the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library premises.
When an officer arrived, they spotted the suspect, Melissa Kotulski, 47, of Connecticut, in her vehicle.
When Kotulski saw the officer approaching, she reportedly drove directly toward the officer, narrowly missing her and her patrol vehicle.
The suspect headed onto the southbound 101 Freeway and continued speeding away, eventually transitioning to the 134 and 210 Freeways. Simi Valley police handed off the chase to California Highway Patrol officers.
Kotulski led CHP on a winding 100-mile pursuit that eventually ended in the Claremont area when spike strips successfully deflated the woman's tires.
Officers surrounded Kotulski and took her into custody for assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer and reckless evading. She was booked at the Ventura County Sheriff's Pre-Trial Detention Facility.
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