Man wanted by US Marshals arrested in South Lake Tahoe after pursuit

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Detectives from the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) were assisting the U.S. Marshals office in locating a wanted felon who was thought to be in the South Lake Tahoe area.

Matthew Core, a 38-year-old man from the Sacramento area had been in federal custody in the Sacramento jail when he was released due to COVID-19, then went on the run according to SLTPD Detective Sgt. Travis Cabral.

A vehicle with Core and a female passenger inside was located and at 5:27 p.m. on Wednesday, July 1. SLTPD Sgt. Jason Cheney attempted a traffic stop at "F" St and Emerald Bay Road. The vehicle pulled over and as Cheney was getting out of his patrol car, Core drove off.

A pursuit began and Cheney chased Core's vehicle through streets at the "Y", down F, to Tata, over to D, Bonanza, and across to Glorene, at times reaching 70 mph with Core also running stop signs. Core and his passenger abandoned their car at an apartment complex at 15th Street and Emerald Bay Road.

SLTPD set up a perimeter in the area and Cheney's K9 Rikki was brought in to assist in the search for the suspects. K9 Rikki tracked them to a common area of the building. SLTPD made numerous announcements to the suspects, asking them to surrender. Officers and Rikki went into the room and found Core under some trash with his passenger underneath him.

Core had some bite wounds from the K9 and was taken to Barton Hospital at 5:58 p.m. where he was treated and released to police custody. He was then booked in the El Dorado County Jail on charges of evading and being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to Cheney, an SKS rifle was found in the trunk of the car Core was driving. His charges also include one warrant for possession of the identification of over 10 people and one for violation of supervised release, along with a bail enhancement. Total bail at this time is $415,000.

His 20-year-old female passenger was booked on misdemeanor obstruction charges.