A 31-year old San Francisco man was arrested May 29th after he led law enforcement on a high-speed pursuit that began near the Egan Ranch on Highway 395 and ended near Sunnyside Road when a CHP Officer was forced to ram the vehicle to protect oncoming traffic from a collision.
According to details released by the Susanville office of the California Highway Patrol, at about 6:31p.m., witnesses reported to CHP dispatch a reckless and erratic driver in a Ford pickup traveling on US-395, northbound from Milford. About ten minutes later CHP Officer Taylor identified the Ford and turned his patrol vehicle to observe the driving behavior of the Ford.
The CHP officer observed the erratic driving described by witnesses but before he could begin an enforcement stop the driver slowed and turned left into the driveway for the Egan Ranch, south of Diane Drive.
Office Taylor activated his patrol vehicle’s emergency lights but, instead of stopping, the driver, identified by the CHP as San Francisco resident Patrick McDonagh, accelerated and attempted to evade the CHP unit.
A pursuit ensued, with McDonagh turning onto southbound US-395 followed by Officer Taylor and Deputy Lee from the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office.
While fleeing south on US-395, Mr. McDonagh accelerated to approximately 85 MPH, while throwing beer bottles out the driver’s window.
“McDonagh slowed and pulled to the right shoulder of US-395 just north of Sunnyside Road, but instead of stopping, he made a U-turn in an attempt to flee northbound on US-395,” explains CHP Public Information Officer Bruce Thuelchassaigne.
“To minimize any further risk to the public, and avoid the potential of a head-on collision, Officer Taylor rammed his patrol car into the side of Mr. McDonagh’s Ford, and pushed it off the east side of the highway.”
The vehicle was disabled as a result, and McDonagh made no further attempts to evade or resist law enforcement.
“Officer Taylor and Deputy Lee placed Mr. McDonagh under arrest for suspicion of DUI, evading arrest and resisting a law enforcement officer.”
After medical clearance, McDonagh was booked at Lassen County Jail.
