Chico Man Pleads Guilty To Several Charges Relating To High-Speed Chase In Stolen Truck, Injured K9
CHICO (CBS13) – A Chico man pleaded guilty Friday to several charges relating to a high-speed 19-mile chase involving a stolen truck and an injured K9 that occurred last September, the Butte County District Attorney's Office announced.
Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey said that Daniel Thomas Hensley, 27, faces up to 14 years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced on August 19, 2020.
Hensley pleaded guilty to two counts of reckless evading, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, vehicle theft, resisting arrest and injuring a police K9.
The district attorney said Henley was spotted in a Chico neighborhood on the day of the chase by a deputy who knew Hensley had an arrest warrant.
Officials said Hensley sped away from authorities while driving dangerously toward Centerville. Hensley briefly got away but the truck he was in was found abandoned in the area. Hensley reportedly stole another truck from a nearby driveway and another pursuit was initiated.
Ramsey said Hensley attempted to hit a deputy with the truck, but the deputy was able to avoid the impact. Hensley then continued to lead the pursuit back toward Chico, when he nearly struck two bicyclists as he turned onto a bike path while attempting to avoid spike strips in the roadway.
Authorities said Hensley abandoned the stolen truck once he was near the area where the pursuit had initially begun and ran into a nearby backyard where several law enforcement officials surrounded the property and tried to convince Hensley to surrender.
Hensley fought with officers and punched a K9 in the head several times before being apprehended, the district attorney said.
The K9, named Chico, didn't suffer any serious injuries. Hensley was taken to the hospital for dog bites before being booked into the county jail.
The district attorney's office said that Hensley now has three strikes on his record and any future major crimes could land him a life sentence.
