Cal Fire truck stolen out of Monterey County involved in high speed chase

A suspect was taken into custody after stealing a fire truck in Monterey County and driving it to Southern California.

According to Cal Fire spokesman, Chris Elms, a Ford F-250 pickup truck was stolen from Cal Fire BEU Friday. The suspect broke into the fire station and stole a set of truck keys. The truck is typically assigned to fire support staff.

KION was told the suspect committed a string of other crimes from Monterey County to Santa Barbara County.

The suspect was identified as 38-year-old Donald Schellinger, a transient from Northern California.

Our sister station KEYT reported the stolen truck was spotted in Los Alamos on Augusta Road at about 11:50 a.m. The chase soon began with speeds reaching up to 100 mph. It is believed the suspect was traveling south but turned around in Los Alamos for unknown reasons and began driving westbound on Highway 135. He eventually reached the outskirts of Orcutt where he turned around near Clark Avenue and began driving towards Vandenberg Air Force Base.

As the suspect traveled towards the Vandenberg Air Force Base area on Highway 1 southbound, security forces from Vandenberg Air Force Base joined the pursuit.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office says authorities were able to stop the suspect after he attempted to make another U-turn in a sandy soft-centered median. The suspect was arrested at gunpoint just before 1 p.m.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office confirmed with KEYT that the truck was associated with a theft out of Pismo Beach recently.

Schellinger was booked at Santa Barbara County Jail on charges of felony reckless evading, possession of stolen property, vehicle theft, and parole violation.

The incident remains under investigation. No further details were immediately known.