Highway 395 pursuit ends in arrest
A San Francisco driver was booked into the Lassen County Jail following an alleged Highway 395 pursuit Saturday.
According to a statement from the California Highway Patrol, at 6:31 p.m. Saturday, May 29, witnesses reported to CHP dispatch a reckless and erratic Ford pickup traveling on Highway 395, northbound from Milford.
At 6:40 p.m., CHP Officer Taylor identified the Ford, and turned his patrol vehicle to observe the driving behavior of the Ford. Officer Taylor allegedly observed the erratic driving described by witnesses. Before Officer Taylor could begin an enforcement stop, the Ford slowed and turned left into the driveway for the Egan Ranch, south of Diane Drive.
Officer Taylor activated his patrol vehicle’s emergency lights to conduct an enforcement stop. Instead of stopping, the statement alleged, the driver, identified in the statement as Patrick McDonagh, 31, of San Francisco, accelerated and attempted to evade Officer Taylor, according to the CHP.
A pursuit ensued with McDonagh turning onto southbound Highway 395. Officer Taylor was assisted in the pursuit by Deputy Lee from the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office.
“While fleeing south on Highway 395, Mr. McDonagh accelerated to approximately 85 MPH, while throwing beer bottles out the driver’s window. Mr. McDonagh slowed and pulled to the right shoulder of Highway 395 just north of Sunnyside Road, but instead of stopping, he made a U-turn in an attempt to flee northbound on Highway 395,” the statement alleged.
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 McDonagh’s Ford, and pushed it off the east side of the highway. The Ford became disabled as a result of this action, and McDonagh made no further attempts to evade or resist law enforcement.
Officer Taylor and Deputy Lee placed 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.
