Visalia Woman Sentenced to 5 Years for High-Speed Chase That Injured Officer

By Anthony W. Haddad

Published 3 months ago on

February 7, 2025

A Tulare police officer was seriously injured and his patrol car damaged when a suspect crashed into him. Lacey Gonzalez, 38, of Visalia, was sentenced to five years in prison on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, for a 2022 high-speed chase. (Tulare County District Attorney's Office)

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A Visalia woman was sentenced Friday to five years in state prison for a 2022 high-speed chase in Tulare that left a police officer seriously injured, the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement.

Lacey Gonzalez, 38, received the sentence after pleading no contest to multiple felony charges, including fleeing a pursuing officer while driving recklessly, driving under the influence of a drug causing injury, and vehicle theft.

Lacey Gonzalez, 38, of Visalia, woman was sentenced to five years in prison on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, for a 2022 high-speed chase in Tulare that left a police officer seriously injured. (Tulare County DA) — Lacey Gonzalez, 38, of Visalia, was sentenced to five years in prison on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, for a 2022 high-speed chase in Tulare that left a police officer seriously injured. (Tulare County DA)

On March 5, 2022, Tulare police attempted to stop a stolen Ford Flex driven by Gonzalez, officials said.

She failed to yield, leading officers on a high-speed chase that ended in a major collision with a patrol vehicle. The officer involved lost consciousness and had significant injuries.

Gonzalez later admitted to stealing the vehicle and fleeing to avoid arrest. She also told authorities she had used methamphetamine before driving.

The DA’s office said her charges were enhanced due to the seriousness of the offense, the severity of the officer’s injuries, and a prior auto theft conviction.

She entered her plea on Jan. 13.

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Anthony W. Haddad,

Multimedia Journalist

Anthony W. Haddad, who graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with his undergraduate degree and attended Fresno State for a MBA, is the Swiss Army knife of GV Wire. He writes stories, manages social media, and represents the organization on the ground.