Northern California woman reported missing is found dead in friend’s home, authorities say

A Grass Valley woman reported missing by her family was found dead Thursday at the home of a friend whom authorities said engaged in a high speed pursuit before his arrest.

A family member alerted Nevada County sheriff’s deputies on Wednesday evening that Shondra Renee Zimmerman, 44, was missing. Deputies began searching for Zimmerman and found her vehicle at her friend’s home in Nevada City, the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. No one appeared to be home, and a search for the friend’s vehicle began.

A deputy saw the vehicle just before 4 a.m. Thursday but its driver did not stop. A pursuit began, also involving the Grass Valley Police Department and the Nevada City Police Department, according to the news release.

A 44-year-old man driving the vehicle crashed near Washington Road on Highway 20 and was booked into jail. He faces charges of driving under the influence, recklessly evading a police officer and violating his parole, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Deputies searched the man’s home and found Zimmerman’s dead body, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Zimmerman’s cause of death and the circumstances surrounding her death are still under investigation. A coroner’s toxicology report and autopsy are pending, authorities said.

Anyone with information about the incident was asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at 530-265-1471.