Columbia, CA…On 11/23/2015 in the early morning hours, a homeowner in Columbia reported that he was asleep in his home when he heard a noise downstairs. Upon checking on the noise, he discovered someone was inside attempting to burglarize the residence. The homeowner contacted the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office and deputies responded to the scene. The suspect; later identified as Brandon Scott Nelson, stole the homeowners vehicle from the attached garage and while attempting to escape from the scene of the burglary, drove it into two fully marked, occupied patrol vehicles.

Nelson then led the Tuolumne County Sheriff Deputies on a vehicle pursuit. During the pursuit, Nelson drove at unsafe speeds and crossed into the opposite lane of traffic. The pursuit ended when Nelson rolled the stolen vehicle down an embankment. Nelson was uncooperative with deputies at the end of the pursuit and resisted arrest. Nelson was arrested and taken to the hospital for treatment.

None of the deputies in the vehicles that were hit by Nelson were injured.Nelson is currently being held on the following charges:
459 PC – Burglary: First Degree
10851 (A) VC – Vehicle Theft
496D (A) PC – Possess Stolen Vehicle
245(A) (1) PC – Assault with Deadly Weapon/Great bodily injury likely
243(C) (2) PC – Battery against Peace Officer
2800.2 (A) VC – Evade Peace Officer: Disregard for safety
Nelson is currently still in custody with a $40,000 bail.