Laura Kettell, a 35-year-old woman from Monterey, was arrested after allegedly stealing a tow truck and leading police on a dangerous chase that included a confrontation at a Planet Fitness in Redwood City. The Redwood City Police Department reported that on April 19th, at approximately 6:03 pm, officers responded to a call from Enterprise Rent-a-Car about the theft, setting off a series of events that culminated in Kettell's arrest and multiple felony charges.
After locating the stolen vehicle unattended at a Jack in the Box in San Carlos, the responding officer's vehicles were rammed by Kettell as she re-entered the tow truck. One of the police vehicles was shoved across the parking lot, with the officer narrowly avoiding severe injury. A chase ensued when the tow truck failed to yield, reaching speeds of 80-90 mph on southbound Highway 101 before law enforcement called off the pursuit due to an altercation involving another motorist and the suspected tow truck.
CHP took over shortly after, but the cat-and-mouse game continued as they located the tow truck with help from a GPS tracker. A collision occurred when Kettell abruptly braked, and a CHP unit struck the tow truck. Kettell then allegedly burglarized a home on Silver Hill Rd in Redwood City before the pursuit picked up again. The Sheriff’s Office and other agencies joined to support, but the chase was eventually terminated thanks to the tracker providing real-time updates of Kettell’s location.
Kettell finally ditched the tow truck and proceeded to assault an employee, identified as her boyfriend, inside Planet Fitness on Walnut Street. Police officers converged on the scene and, after a resisted attempt to detain her, deployed a canine partner that bit Kettell on her hip, which led to her eventual surrender. Kettell received treatment for her injuries before being booked on numerous charges, including felony assault with a deadly weapon, vehicle theft, and burglary.
An RCPD officer sustained injuries during the initial vehicle assault and was treated at a local hospital but has since been released.
The Redwood City Police Department is encouraging anyone with further information about the incident to contact Lieutenant Nick Perna at 650-780-7672 or via email at [email protected].
