A man wanted on suspicion of murder in Washington state was arrested early this morning in Loleta after previously fleeing law enforcement, crashing his car on Lundblade Mill Road and running into a wooded area where he was able to avoid capture for a time.

According to a Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office news release, William Lee Rickman was apprehended after a nearby resident called law enforcement to report a man had approached their house and asked for a ride.

“Deputies responded to the residence, located Rickman and took him into custody without further incident,” the release states. Rickman was booked into jail on a fugitive from justice warrant and is being held without bail while awaiting extradition.

The HCSO release states the department received information Thursday that Rickman could be in the Loleta area and officers with the Bear River Tribal Police Department first located him in a vehicle just after midnight on the 600 block of Singley Hill Road.

While deputies responded, the release states, Rickman fled in the vehicle, which was later found crashed on Lundblade Mill Road.

“Sheriff’s deputies, HCSO K9 Yahtzee and officers with the California Highway Patrol conducted a search of the wooded area nearby the abandoned vehicle in an effort to locate Rickman,” the release states. “Despite extensive search efforts, teams were unable to locate Rickman.”

A short while later, the call came in from a nearby resident reporting a stranger asking for a ride and Rickman was then taken into custody.

On Jan. 6, 2022, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office received information that a homicide suspect wanted out of Washington State was possibly in the Loleta area.

On January 7, at about 12:01 a.m., officers with the Bear River Tribal Police Department located the suspect, 46-year-old William Lee Rickman, inside a vehicle on the 600 block of Singley Hill Road. As deputies were enroute to the location, Rickman fled in the vehicle from law enforcement officers. While searching the Loleta area for Rickman, deputies learned that the vehicle associated with Rickman had crashed on Lundblade Mill Road and Rickman had reportedly fled on foot from the vehicle.

Sheriff’s deputies, HCSO K9 Yahtzee and officers with the California Highway Patrol conducted a search of the wooded area nearby the abandoned vehicle in an effort to locate Rickman. Despite extensive search efforts, teams were unable to locate Rickman.

A short while later, a local resident contacted law enforcement reporting that a male subject unknown to the resident had arrived at their home requesting a ride. Deputies responded to the residence, located Rickman and took him into custody without further incident.

Rickman was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on a fugitive from justice warrant (PC 1551(a)). He is being held without bail, awaiting extradition to Washington.

Anyone with information about this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.