SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – A driver was arrested after leading law enforcement officers on a high-speed chase into San Diego’s East County Friday morning.
According to San Diego Police, officers were called to the 1800 block of Drescher Street in Linda Vista just before 9 a.m. in response to “an individual threatening family members with a firearm and vandalizing vehicles.”
Police said witnesses reported the man involved leaving in a white Dodge Ram pickup truck.
A short time later, officers spotted the truck at Friars Road and Ulric Street near Fashion Valley Mall and tried to pull the vehicle over. However, the truck “failed to yield and fled from officers toward Interstate 8,” police stated.
Before it reached I-8, police said the truck hit a vehicle at the Mission Center Road on-ramp.
As it traveled on eastbound I-8, the truck “collided with a fire truck handling an unrelated collision” near Texas Street before it continued.
California Highway Patrol officers took over the pursuit as the truck traveled on I-8 towards the East County.
At one point, the truck stopped in the middle of the freeway, and it appeared the driver was ready to surrender as officers and a K-9 surrounded the vehicle.
However, the driver sped away and officers resumed the pursuit.
Moments later, the driver lost control of the truck, and it came to a stop off the freeway near Dunbar Lane.
The driver got out of the truck and then attempted to run away, but a K-9 sprinted and tackled the driver for officers to take him into custody.
SDPD officials said the driver, identified as a 34-year-old Hispanic male, was taken to the hospital for treatment after being injured by the K-9.
According to police, the driver was arrested on the following charges:
- assault with a deadly weapon
- criminal threats
- felony vandalism
- felony evading
- resisting arrest with force
- fleeing scene of a collision
- driving under the influence
No other injuries were reported in the incident.
