SAN FERNANDO (CNS) - A woman who struck several vehicles with a motorhome while leading police on a bizarre chase from the Santa Clarita area to Tarzana with two dogs inside the RV has been sentenced to nearly nine years in state prison, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced today.
Julie Ann Rainbird -- also known as Julie Ann Fehlman -- was also banned for life from driving a vehicle, according to the District Attorney's Office.
The 54-year-old Santa Clarita woman was immediately sentenced following her guilty plea Thursday to two counts each of hit-and-run driving resulting in serious injury to another person, animal cruelty and driving under the influence of a drug causing injury, along with one count each of fleeing a pursuing peace officer's motor vehicle causing serious bodily injury and assault with a deadly weapon causing great bodily injury.
Sheriff's deputies initially tried to detain Rainbird at her RV near The Old Road and Calgrove Boulevard in Valencia, but she started the vehicle and fled on May 21, 2019. She rammed into several vehicles during the pursuit, injuring the drivers.
The chase ended with a crash in Tarzana that also left one of her dogs injured, according to the District Attorney's Office.
Rainbird was arrested by the California Highway Patrol shortly after the crash, and has remained behind bars since then.
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