Two Carson City Sheriff's Office deputies were treated and released for minor injuries after a vehicle chase Sunday night that began in Carson City and wound up with a patrol car being rammed in South Lake Tahoe.
Samantha Rose Randazzo, 32, of South Lake Tahoe was arrested on suspicion of felony enhancement, evading, and assault with a deadly weapon. She also faces misdemeanor charges of driving under the influence and driving on a suspended license. Randazzo is being held in the El Dorado County Jail in South Lake Tahoe. Her bail is $112,500.
Randazzo, 32, allegedly rammed a patrol vehicle and then refused to get out of the SUV she was driving, said Carson City Sheriff's Office Sgt. Earl Mays. A deputy suffered injuries to his hand when he broke through the passenger side window to unlock the door. The other deputy was treated and released for injuries after the woman slammed into his patrol vehicle with her SUV, said Mays. The names of the deputies have not been released.
The chase began before 6 p.m. on South Carson Street near Carson Station. A deputy attempted to pull Randazzo over for driving erratically and suspecting she was under the influence. Randazzo instead continued driving south on Carson Street and then westbound onto Highway 50 over Spooner Summit. Officers in the pursuit said she traveled at a speed of around 55 mph in town and 70 mph up Spooner through light traffic. Douglas County Sheriff's Office and the Nevada Highway Patrol also responded.
Because of traffic in the South Lake Tahoe area, Randazzo was forced to reduce her speed to 35 mph to 40 mph. According to Sgt. Shannon Laney of the South Lake Tahoe Police Department, Randazzo hit about 50 mph as she went through the intersection of Highway 50 and Ski Run Boulevard.
The chase finally ended with an arrest at the corner of Highway 50/Lake Tahoe Boulevard and Tallac Avenue in South Lake Tahoe. The vehicle was stopped after it rammed the Carson City patrol officer's vehicle at around 6:20 p.m., said Laney.
A car stopped at a red light on Highway 50 and Tallac Avenue caused Randazzo to stop so a Carson City Sheriff's officer was able to pull his car in front of her. She slammed into his vehicle in an attempt to escape but was unable to do so, said Laney.
The Carson City deputy injured in the crash resulted in the felony assault with a deadly weapon charge.