Two chases, one fatality

July ended with two car chases within one week for Chico, the first resulting in the death of the driver.

According to the Chico Police Department, on July 22 just after 1 a.m., officers pulled over Madeline Lynch, 21, of Chico, who was driving a stolen vehicle on the Skyway. When officers exited their vehicles, she sped away. Lynch was chased for about 3 miles on Honey Run Road before the car hit a tree, killing her.

Alex Cabral, 41, was driving another car and attempted to intervene when police first stopped Lynch. He was arrested.

In the other incident, on Sunday (July 29), CPD received a call around 4:30 a.m. of vehicle break-ins at apartments on Cobblestone Drive. Officers attempted to pull over the driver of the suspected getaway car, ultimately chasing the older white Honda Civic to Broadway Street, where the driver crashed into a Ford F-250 at the intersection of West 20th Street.

Jonathan Johns, 27, and passenger Eva Cervantes, were booked at the Butte County jail on a variety of charges.