KTLA reports that Orange Police Department officers arrested a man suspected of driving under the influence of narcotics after he led them on a pursuit. The suspect driver crashed multiple times as he led police on the chase on Thursday, June 15.
Authorities say that at approximately 9:20 p.m., the male driver of a pickup truck was first spotted at a Taco Bell parking lot. As he drove out of the parking lot, he drove across the street near the intersection of Walnut Avenue and Tustin Street.
Orange Police officers attempted to pull the driver over, but instead of stopping, he put his car in reverse and fled, heading westbound on Walnut Avenue.
The officers pursued the driver, who was traveling at a high rate of speed. As he drove away, the suspect struck a tree and a parked car in the driveway of a home.
The driver corrected himself and drove across Maplewood Street, colliding with two additional parked cars before slamming into a brick retaining wall.
The force of impact with the retaining wall disabled the suspect’s pickup truck and trapped him inside. Firefighters with the Orange City Fire Department had to use the jaws of life to extricate the suspect from his truck.
The driver was transported via ambulance to an area hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
A DUI investigation and toxicology test determined that the driver was under the influence of drugs while the police were pursuing him.
He was arrested on charges of DUI, hit-and-run, and resisting arrest.
Orange Officials have not yet released the suspect’s identity.
