Vehicle Pursuit Leads to Arrest, Copperopolis 

August 14, 2025 – Calaveras County Sheriff's Office officials report that on August 7th, 2025, at approximately 2:30 a.m., a Calaveras County Sheriff’s deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a black GMC pickup truck along O’Byrnes Ferry Road, south of Lake Tulloch Shores in Copperopolis. The deputy initiated the stop after observing the truck traveling at an unsafe speed. The deputy also noted a non-functioning license plate lamp on the truck.

The driver of the truck failed to pull over, leading to a pursuit. The pursuit continued over the O’Byrnes Ferry Bridge, where the driver crossed over the double yellow lines and into oncoming lanes of traffic. The truck continued to flee and crossed the double yellow lines repeatedly.

As the truck approached Wagner Court, the driver turned off the vehicle’s lights in an attempt to evade the deputy. As the truck reached the intersection of Highway 108 and O’Byrnes Ferry Road, it failed to stop at the red signal light. The truck ultimately drove through the intersection and continued towards Jamestown without yielding to the pursuing deputy.

The pursuit ended near the intersection of Highway 108 and Mountain Pass Road, where the truck pulled over and stopped. A high-risk traffic stop was conducted, and three individuals were detained without incident. Deputies from the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Department, along with officers of the California Highway Patrol, assisted the Calaveras deputies at the scene.

The driver was identified as Joseph James Koval, 20, from Sonora. Two passengers, both with addresses in Sonora, were also in the vehicle.

Suspect Joseph Koval was ultimately arrested and booked at the Calaveras County Jail on charges of Evading a Peace Officer with Wanton Disregard for Safety (Felony), Evading a Peace Officer: Wrong Way Driver (Felony), Driving without a Driver’s License (Misdemeanor), Excessive Speed (Infraction), Failure to Stop at Red Light (Infraction), Non-functioning lighting equipment (Infraction), and Driving without insurance or registration.

Source: Calaveras County Sheriff's Office