Tuolumne suspect again ditches truck, eludes capture on foot

A Soulsbyville man who last month led Tuolumne County sheriff’s deputies on a brief pursuit, overturned the pickup truck he was driving and then fled on foot is at it again, in a different vehicle.

Kasey Questo, who even before the March 19 pursuit was wanted on charges of burglary, identity theft, forgery and theft from an elder, was spotted just after 7 a.m. Sunday at Soulsbyville Road at Willow Springs Drive. Deputies attempted to pull him over, but Questo failed to yield and a pursuit ensued, the Sheriff’s Office reported.

Questo jumped out of his truck at Yosemite Road and ran away. Deputies and a K9 pursued, but the 32-year-old eluded capture. Two deputies were injured in the chase when a fence gave way.

Sgt. Andrea Benson, the Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman, said one deputy suffered a major ankle injury, the other a minor hand injury.

Questo last was seen on the 16300 block of Yosemite Road. He is 6-foot-2 and 175 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes. He was wearing blue jeans and a yellow shirt, deputies reported.

In the March 19 incident, deputies tried to pull over Questo’s pickup on Quail Mine road in Columbia. He drove onto a dirt road, where, because of hazardous road conditions, a pursuing deputy got out of his patrol vehicle and proceeded on foot.

He located Questo, who put his truck into reverse and accelerated toward the deputy, forcing him to jump onto the side of the road to avoid being hit.

Questo continued backing down the road, until he rolled his truck down an embankment. He the climbed out and ran into a wooded area.

A search of the vehicle found methamphetamine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

That incident now also has him facing charges of evading a peace officer, assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Anyone who sees Questo or has information on his whereabouts is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at 209-533-5815.

This story was originally published April 3, 2017 at 7:57 AM with the headline "Tuolumne suspect again ditches truck, eludes capture on foot."