(KRON) — The Santa Rosa Police Department (SRPD) said a 43-year-old man was arrested after he allegedly fled the scene of a DUI collision and led officers on a brief pursuit.
Santa Rosa PD said officers responded at 9:10 p.m. Thursday to a report of a collision involving a blue Saturn and a white panel van at the intersection of Hahman and Magowan drives.
When officers arrived, they learned from witnesses that the driver of the blue Saturn had fled the scene.
Officials said an SRPD accident investigator spotted the car driving away, but the driver failed to yield to the traffic stop. Santa Rosa PD said a police chase ensued but was short-lived due to the “major damage sustained to the Saturn during the original collision,” leaving it mostly inoperable.
The driver, identified as John Patrick Thorpe of Santa Rosa, surrendered to police and was arrested. He faces charges, including driving under the influence of alcohol and reckless evading.
Police said Thorpe suffered minor injuries, but no one else was hurt in the incident. He was booked into the Sonoma County Jail.
