UPDATE: 3:30 p.m. Sunday, March 3, 2013.
Police in both Solano and Napa counties are said to be preparing multiple felony charges against a Napa man who led the CHP on a wild pursuit with multiple crashes Friday afternoon.
Robert Shank is in custody at Solano County Sentenced Detention Facility in Fairfield on possible suspicion of felony hit-and-run and reckless driving stemming from the crash in Vallejo with a motorcyclist, said Napa CHP Sgt. W. Bradshaw.
Shank likely will face additional suspected felonies in Napa County, including possibly two counts of attempted carjacking, DUI causing collision with injury, reckless driving and another possible charge of driving the wrong way.
"We have probably four felony strikes against him, just on our side," Bradshaw said.
Bradshaw said he could not estimate when the charges would be filed, due to the extensive paperwork and research involved on what Bradshaw characterized as Shank's "extended criminal history," he said. He declined to provide further details.
Bradshaw said he had no word on the identification and condition of the motorcyclist who was thrown off of his bike in the crash with Shank in Vallejo.
He referred all questions about the motorcyclist to Solano County CHP officers, who are taking the lead on the case.
Solano County CHP office was closed Sunday and officers there could not be reached for comment.
ORIGINAL STORY: 9:39 a.m. Sunday, March 3, 2013.
By Bay City News Service
A Napa man allegedly caused a series of collisions in a wild pursuit from Vallejo to Napa Friday afternoon before attempting to carjack a motorcycle and another vehicle, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Robert Shank, 42, was driving east on Interstate 80 at Redwood Street in Vallejo around 3:20 p.m. when he first allegedly struck a motorcycle, ejecting the rider, according to CHP Officer Garrett Ray.
Shank allegedly continued east on the freeway with the motorcycle stuck to the front end of the pickup, past a Solano County Sheriff's deputy who began to pursue him, Ray said. The motorcycle broke free around the state Highway 37 overpass, and Shank continued east at speeds of 90 miles per hour, across multiple lanes of traffic, Ray said.
Shank exited at Red Top Road, took Lopes Road and eventually reentered Interstate 80 traveling west, before exiting again on to westbound state Highway 12. He allegedly passed vehicles over double yellow lines, side swiping a Ford Ranger and a Mercedes SLK near Kelly Road before proceeding to northbound state Highway 29, Ray said.
There, he began traveling the wrong way in the southbound lanes and drove past state Highway 221 before he collided with a Nissan pickup and Hyundai Genesis in the southbound lanes of the George Butler Bridge, Ray said.
Shank stepped out of his vehicle as a CHP helicopter landed on the scene, and allegedly attempted to carjack a motorcycle and another vehicle, Ray said. The CHP flight medic on the helicopter pursued Shank on foot and held him at gunpoint until a CHP officer was able to take him into custody, Ray said.
Both the rider of the motorcycle and the driver of the black sedan that Shank attempted to carjack left the scene before the CHP could get their information.
Ray said the CHP is asking them and any other witnesses to call the Napa CHP office at (707) 253-4906 with information.
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