March 23, 2025 – Kern County Sheriff’s Office officials report that on March 21, 2025, at approximately 2:45 a.m., Kern County Sheriff’s Office deputies from the Buttonwillow Substation were dispatched to the area of South Enos Lane and Panama Lane for a report of a copper wire theft that had just occurred.
The Kern County Sheriff’s Office Rural Crime Investigations Unit began follow-up on the investigation. At approximately 8:00 a.m., Rural Crime Detectives learned the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office was currently investigating a burglary in the Cuyama area with a similar suspect vehicle that was last seen eastbound on Highway 166 toward Maricopa.
Rural Crime Detectives, along with deputies from the Taft Substation responded to Maricopa and located the vehicle near Highway 33 and Cadet Road. The driver, identified as TYLER TRAYLOR (age 30) of Taft, fled in the vehicle through an oilfield property, where he abandoned the vehicle and led deputies on a foot pursuit. TRAYLOR was apprehended a short distance away…