A high-speed pursuit in Johnson Valley and Landers ended with the arrest of a Buellton man Sunday afternoon. The California Highway Patrol said Officer Caleb Miller was assigned to the King of the Hammers event, and was monitoring traffic in the area of State Route 247 and Boone Road. About 4:30 p.m., a black 2005 Pontiac Sunfire, traveling southbound on the highway approaching Boone, passed another vehicle at a speed more than 90 miles per hour. Miller attempted a traffic stop, and the driver, later identified as William Leair, 39, eventually stopped. However, Leair refused Miller’s commands to keep his hands visible, and then sped off. As Miller pursued, Leair began passing other vehicles over yellow lines. Leair led officers onto several dirt roads in the Landers area before returning to Highway 247 heading toward Johnson Valley. At Camp Rock Road, Leair again led officers onto dirt roads until Leair lost control of his car, which became disabled. The pursuit by multiple CHP officers, Sheriff’s deputies, and a Sheriff’s helicopter, lasted more than an hour. William Leair, who is on post-release community supervision and who had removed his ankle monitor prior to the pursuit, was arrested for investigation of felony reckless evading, resisting arrest, and driving with a suspended license, and is being held on a no-bail warrant out of Santa Barbara for possession of stolen property. William Leair was booked into the Morongo Basin Jail with his bail set at $350,000.
