Woman Charged with Leading Police in Pursuit with RV

The woman who led police on a pursuit while driving an RV with two dogs inside was charged today with nine felony counts, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced.

Julie Ann Rainbird aka Julie Ann Fehlman (dob 6/4/66) of Santa Clarita faces one felony count each of fleeing a pursuing peace officer’s motor vehicle causing serious bodily injury, hit-and-run driving resulting in serious injury to another person and cruelty to an animal as well as three counts each of assault with a deadly weapon, RV, and hit-and-run driving resulting in injury to another person.

Case PA092808 includes allegations of causing great bodily injury and of a prior conviction for multiple identifying information theft in 2015.

Rainbird pleaded not guilty to the charges and is scheduled to return on June 3 to Department H of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, San Fernando Branch. On May 21, deputies attempted to detain Rainbird at her RV near The Old Road and Calgrove Boulevard in Valencia when she then started the vehicle and fled. 

During the pursuit, the defendant is charged with ramming into several vehicles, causing injuries to the drivers, prosecutors said.

The pursuit ended with a crash in Tarzana where one of her dogs was injured, prosecutors added.

If convicted as charged, Rainbird faces a possible maximum sentence of more than 14 years in state prison. Bail is scheduled at $395,000. The case remains under investigation by the California Highway Patrol, Newhall Station. About the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey leads the largest local prosecutorial office in the nation. Her staff of nearly 1,000 attorneys, 300 investigators and 800 support staff members is dedicated to protecting our community through the fair and ethical pursuit of justice and the safeguarding of crime victims' rights.