Stolen vehicle chase causes fire in Rice Canyon

A highway chase on the SR 76 led to a five acre brush fire in Rice Canyon on Thursday, Aug. 25, at approximately 5 p.m.

According to California Highway Patrol (CHP) Sgt. Lew Hall, CHP officers attempted to make an enforcement stop on a truck near Pala Casino. However, the suspect failed to pull off the road, and the pursuit went northbound on Rice Canyon Rd. The truck went off a dirt road on the 1400 block of Rice Canyon Rd., driving west for a mile before the vehicle went down an embankment.

“The truck got stuck and couldn’t go any further,” said Hall. “The vehicle’s exhaust ignited a brush fire.

According to North County Fire public information officer John Buchanan, the fire spread to five acres, and was fought by approximately 40 firefighters from Cal Fire, Rainbow Fire and North County Fire.

“Five acres is bigger than what you think it is; it’s the inside of five football fields,” said Buchanan. “The responding agencies did a great job in an area where it is normally hard to respond quickly.”

Area residents said the fire was extinguished at approximately 9:15 p.m. No structures were involved.

The driver of the vehicle, Ricky Smith, 31, and his passenger, Haley Garcia, 23, fled on foot after their vehicle stopped, but were apprehended a short time later, said Hall.

“The vehicle turned out to be stolen, and Smith is a parolee at large,” said Hall, who said the suspects were both booked. “[Smith] is on parole hold, and has a stolen vehicle charge, reckless evasion charge, and evading arrest charge. [Garcia] has a $100,000 warrant as well.”