Two face murder charges after armed invasion, fatal crash

Terry McLeod of Sacramento

While many North San Juan residents were outraged that Teachout was booked on a murder charge, Sheriff Keith Royal said the case falls under what is known as the “felony murder doctrine,” which applies to any case where a death occurs while a felony is being committed. “He took actions that jeopardized his safety and other citizens at large,” Royal said.

A North San Juan man faces a murder charge after authorities said he and three others were victims of a home invasion robbery where two men dressed as police officers stole marijuana that led to a highway chase and the eventual death of an Elk Grove cement contractor.

Chris Teachout, 32, and Terry McLeod, 51, of Sacramento, an alleged accomplice of the victim, were both facing murder charges in the aftermath of  crash on Highway 49 that killed Timothy Fitzpatrick.

According to the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office, Fitzpatrick and McLeod were wearing ski masks and “black police-type uniforms” when they broke into a home on the 12000 block of Tobacco Road and proceeded to use handcuffs and plastic zip ties on three men and a woman at the home.

After taking cell phones, computer equipment, a camera and what was later described as a large amount of processed marijuana, the suspects fled the scene, the sheriff’s office said.

Teachout then managed to free himself and began pursuing the men who were driving a pickup truck on Oak Tree Road and then to Highway 49. According to Sheriff Keith Royal, the robbery suspects fired shots while being pursued and Teachout rammed their truck, causing it to hit a tree.

Fitzpatrick was declared dead at the scene.

In addition to finding the marijuana at the crash scene, Royal said $4,000 was also seized as evidence.

While many North San Juan residents were outraged that Teachout was booked on a murder charge, Royal said the case falls under what is known as the “felony murder doctrine,” which applies to any case where a death occurs while a felony is being committed.

“He took actions that jeopardized his safety and other citizens at large,” said Royal, adding that his vehicle was the “deadly weapon” in this case.

Royal said deadly force can be used if someone has legitimate fear for their life during the commission of a crime, but lethal force cannot be used once the suspects leave the scene.

“What happened here is that the fear is gone, the threat is gone,” he said of Teachout’s decision to chase the men in his vehicle.

McLeod was booked on a murder charge under the same felony murder doctrine, Royal said. In his case, the charge resulted because another suspect was killed while they were allegedly committing a felony. He was also booked on charges of strong arm robbery, burglary, criminal conspiracy and false imprisonment.

District Attorney Cliff Newell said his office was investigating the incident and as of Tuesday, Jan. 5, had not determined what charges would be made in the case.

Editor’s note: To see further developments in the case, visit www.nevadacityadvocate.com.