A Sutter County burglary suspect tried to disappear into a drainage culvert early Sunday after crashing a stolen pickup, but a sheriff's K-9 helped flush him out. Deputies say 40-year-old Brian Freeland of Rancho Cordova was taken into custody without further incident once he crawled out of the ditch, ending a chase that had stretched across two counties and roughly 15 minutes of backroads driving.
According to The Sacramento Bee, Sutter County sheriff's deputies responded about 2:30 a.m. Sept. 27 to the 14800 block of Highway 99 north of Nicolaus after a property owner reported a burglary. The suspect had allegedly entered a shop and made off with a haul of equipment: six chainsaws, three weed eaters, three water pumps, a pressure washer, a Craftsman toolbox and a silver 2022 GMC Sierra, the property owner told deputies.
Chase Crosses County Lines Before Truck Hits Canal
Yolo County sheriff's deputies spotted the stolen pickup near Knights Landing, setting off a pursuit in which the driver fled north on Highway 113 before crossing back into Sutter County, per the same account from The Sacramento Bee. The chase covered about 15 minutes of backroads before the stolen Sierra crashed into a drainage canal along Seymour Road, west of Armour Road. When authorities reached the truck, it was unoccupied — the driver had already run.
The driver fled after the crash and was later found hiding in a culvert. California Highway Patrol and Yolo County deputies joined the search of the surrounding rice fields as deputies worked to track him down.
K-9 Announcements Bring Suspect Out of Hiding
Deputies noticed disturbed vegetation around a culvert and called in a Sutter County Sheriff's K-9 for help, according to Sierra Pendley in a statement cited by the news release referenced in the report. The K-9 issued announcements into the culvert, and the suspect responded from inside before ultimately crawling out and surrendering, per the sheriff's office. He was identified as Freeland and taken into custody without further incident.
Freeland was taken by ambulance to Adventist Health and Rideout and remained hospitalized because of injuries sustained in the incident, the outlet reported. He is expected to be booked into the Sutter County Jail in Marysville once he is medically cleared.
Felony Citations and Prior Supervision Status
Freeland was issued felony citations on suspicion of burglary, hit-and-run, evading police, reckless driving, driving more than 100 mph, obstruction and resisting, and taking a vehicle without the owner's consent. The stolen GMC Sierra crashed into a drainage canal along Seymour Road, west of Armour Road.
The Sacramento Bee also reported that Freeland was on Sacramento County post-release community supervision tied to prior firearms-related charges at the time of the alleged burglary and chase. No booking record, court filing or response from Freeland was available at the time of reporting.
A new arrest does not by itself determine whether someone has violated PRCS terms. California law gives county supervising agencies options for responding to alleged violations, including “flash incarceration” in county jail for up to 10 days; revocation proceedings may also be considered through the courts. The California Judicial Branch’s explanation of realignment describes court PRCS revocation hearings, which are separate from deciding the outcome of new criminal charges.
California’s post-release community supervision system grew out of 2011 criminal-justice realignment. Eligible people released from state prison are supervised by county agencies rather than by state parole, while specified categories—including people serving terms for serious or violent felonies or third-strike offenses—are excluded from PRCS. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s overview of PRCS describes the county’s role under Penal Code § 3451, the framework behind the Sacramento County supervision noted in Freeland’s case.
