Elderly woman leads officers on chase throughout Monterey County

An unusual chase in Monterey County after an elderly woman refused to stop for officers.

According to the California Highway Patrol, 78-year-old Genevieve Marie Demings was tailgating a Fish and Game Warden Tuesday night on Highway 101 near San Miguel Canyon Road. The Fish and Game warden put on his truck’s rear warning lights to warn Demings, but she changed lanes and cut him off.

The warden then activated his enforcement lights and tried to pull her over. Mrs. Demings saw the lights, but didn’t believe the patrol truck was a real law enforcement vehicle. She continued driving southbound on the highway and got off on SR-156 eventually ending up on southbound Highway 1.

The California Highway Patrol said its officers then took over the chase at Reservation road. Mrs. Demings later told officers she refused to stop because she was going to be late to an appointment and that was more important than pulling over.

Demings kept driving on Highway 1 and eventually got off at the Soledad Munras exit and stopped at the intersection. While stopped, officers got out of their cars, but she ignored their commands and continued to drive when the light turned green.

Demings eventually parked at 92 Soledad Drive where she said she had a meeting at 7pm and couldn’t be late. She was not arrested. The CHP will recommend that the Monterey County District Attorney’s office charge her with misdemeanor evading. Drugs and alcohol were not factors, but a possible mental health issue may have played a role.

Her license was seized and she has been referred to the DMV for evaluation. Demings made it to her destination before 7pm, but was still late to her appointment.