Two Men Identified Following Fatal High-Speed Chase and Crash Outside Travis Air Force Base

John Newton of Sacramento and an Oroville man were killed in a high-speed chase that ended outside Travis Air Force Base on March 31.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 2, 2026, 10:52 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from East Bay Times

Fatal Conclusion to Multi-County Police Pursuit

A high-speed chase that spanned two Northern California counties ended in a double fatality early Tuesday morning near the perimeter of Travis Air Force Base. According to reports from the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, the incident began as a pursuit in Napa County before the vehicle crossed into Solano County at extreme speeds. The chase concluded shortly after when the driver lost control of the vehicle, resulting in a catastrophic collision that claimed the lives of both occupants. Emergency responders arrived on the scene near the Fairfield military installation, but were unable to revive the individuals due to the severity of the impact.

Identification of the Deceased

The Solano County Sheriff’s Office has officially identified the driver as 28-year-old John Newton, a resident of Sacramento. The passenger has been identified as a man from Oroville, though full details regarding his identity are still being processed by the coroner’s office. According to reporting from Colin Atagi, both men were from outside the immediate Bay Area. Investigators are currently working to determine the events that led to the initial police intervention in Napa County, which triggered the pursuit that ended so abruptly minutes later outside the air force base.

The Pursuit Timeline and Route

The pursuit began in the early hours of March 31 when law enforcement attempted to stop the vehicle in Napa County for undisclosed reasons. The vehicle failed to yield, leading officers on a fast-paced chase through rural and suburban corridors. The route taken by the driver suggests an attempt to utilize the open roadways leading toward Fairfield. However, as the vehicle approached the high-security perimeter of Travis Air Force Base, the driver was unable to navigate the road conditions at the speeds maintained during the chase. The resulting wreckage effectively closed the access routes to the base for several hours as forensic teams documented the scene.