The following is a press release from the Ukiah Police Department. The information has not been proven in a court of law and any individuals described should be presumed innocent until proven guilty:
On 03/13/2025 at approximately 7:00pm a Ukiah Police Department (UPD) Officer was on routine patrol in downtown Ukiah when he noticed a red Nissan traveling above the posted speed limit. The Nissan then failed to come to a stop at the intersection of South Dora Street and West Gobbi Street, prompting the officer to initiate a traffic enforcement stop on the Nissan.
The vehicle immediately accelerated and failed to yield to the patrol vehicle’s emergency lighting, and a vehicle pursuit began as the suspect and the officer traveled eastbound on West Gobbi Street. The suspect vehicle turned northbound onto South Oak Street, eastbound onto West Mill Street, northbound onto South School Street, and then began traveling on the wrong side of the road on Seminary Avenue. The officer did not follow the suspect in the wrong direction of travel, but was able to use the westbound lane of Seminary Avenue and reposition himself behind the suspect’s vehicle as he turned southbound onto South Oak Street. The suspect came to the dead end of South Oak Street and pulled into the parking lot of 756 where he immediately exited the vehicle, jumped a fence, and fled on foot.
The pursuing officer broadcast that the suspect was a white male adult wearing a gray shirt and dark colored pants, and a few minutes later a UPD Officer observed a male matching that description walking in the 700 block of South State Street. The suspect, Steffen Cantua of Willits, CA was taken into custody without further incident.
Cantua was arrested for driving under the influence earlier in the month, and was again determined to be heavily intoxicated. Canuta was arrested and booked into the Mendocino County Jail for charges of 2800.2(a) CVC, 2800.4 CVC, 148(a)(1) PC, 23152(a) CVC, and 23152(b) CVC.
Self Driving cars have their problems, but there isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t find myself wishing we could remove the human from the driver’s seat. Then drunks like this guy could continue to do what they do without being a risk to everyone around them.
GOOD!!