Saturday Night Police Chase Ends in Arrest

A 44-year-old man Santa Barbara whom police say was intoxicated led authorities on a pursuit through the downtown area Saturday evening. According to police spokesman Sgt. Lorenzo Duarte, an officer on bicycle control spotted a tan Chevrolet pick-up truck run a red light at the intersection of State and Haley streets around 5:35 p.m., and yelled at the driver, whose window was down, to pull over.

Rather than pull over, the man accelerated and ran another red light. The officer recorded the license plate number and requested assistance. Officers hearing the call spotted the truck within minutes driving on the 300 block of East Haley. When they turned on their emergency lights and sign, the man refused to pull over. During the pursuit, the truck ran several more red lights and was alternately speeding up and slowing down. The truck was finally stopped in the 400 block of East Yanonali Street, where the driver got out of the truck, and, after not complying with officers orders, was immobilized with a Taser. According to police, the man had symptoms of being under the influence of alcohol.

He was arrested for felony evading, resisting arrest and driving under the influence of alcohol.