A Morongo Valley man was arrested Monday night after leading deputies on a high-speed pursuit through Yucca Valley residential neighborhoods and on the highway to Joshua Tree. According to a Sheriff’s report, Benjamin Johnson, 39, was in the old Stater Brothers parking lot in the 57000 block of 29 Palms Highway about 10:45 p.m. Store employees said Johnson was behaving erratically, experiencing drug hallucinations, and broke out the window of his white van in the parking lot. They told deputies Johnson yelled at them to call 911. When an employee called 911, Johnson allegedly tried to run over the employee. When deputies arrived a few minutes later, Johnson fled the parking lot in his van into residential neighborhoods south of the highway. Deputies attempted traffic stops, but Johnson evaded them and failed to yield. Johnson led deputies on a pursuit for more than 13 miles, and blowing through stop signs and stop lights at speeds over 60 miles per hour. Johnson got back on the highway eastbound and sped through Yucca Valley and Joshua Tree at speeds in excess of 80 miles per hour. A California Highway Patrol officer deployed spike strips near Sunburst Avenue in Joshua Tree, and Johnson finally pulled over in the parking lot of Hi-Desert Medical Center just after 11 p.m. Benjamin Johnson was arrested for investigation of felony failure to yield, assault with a deadly weapon, and driving under the influence of drugs. He was booked at the Morongo Basin Jail with his bail set at $105,000.
MORONGO VALLEY MAN LEADS DEPUTIES ON HIGH-SPEED PURSUIT FROM YUCCA VALLEY TO JOSHUA TREE MONDAY NIGHT
