Wrong-way driver leads to felony auto theft arrest in downtown Chico

Chico police also say more than 250 pieces of mail found in car

CHICO » Early Tuesday morning a traffic stop for a wrong-way driver resulted in an arrest on suspicion of felony auto theft in downtown Chico, Chico police said on Thursday.

According to the Chico Police Department, at about 3:20 a.m. an officer stopped a car traveling the wrong way and the driver, Robert Hermansen, 25, of Ohio, was reportedly evasive in answering questions.

Police say that Hermansen didn’t have identification to prove his identity and the vehicle identification number did not match the license plate on the vehicle. At that point, police detained Hermansen who told police that he was his twin brother.

Officers allege that in a search of the car, they found the license plate belonging to the vehicle Hermansen was driving inside the passenger compartment. Police say that vehicle’s registered owner said that the car was stolen.

Police allege they found more than 250 pieces of stolen mail, most of which were from Sacramento area residents. But police say there was stolen mail from Chico residents in the car as well. Hermansen is a fugitive with a felony warrant out of Ohio for narcotics transportation.

They also alleged that while at the Chico Police Department Temporary

Holding Facility, Hermansen had concealed methamphetamine in a hidden pocket inside of his clothing, and tried disposing of it before officers noticed but was caught doing so.

Hermansen was booked into the Butte County Jail on suspicion of vehicle theft, license plate theft, mail theft, identity theft, possession of a controlled substance and bringing a controlled substance into a jail.