Man leads officers on chase, arrested in Arroyo Grande

April 19, 2024

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

Arroyo Grande police arrested a man on Thursday who led officers on a high-speed chase from northern Santa Barbara County to southern San Luis Obispo County, which then transformed into a manhunt in the Five Cities. 

The pursuit reportedly began Thursday morning after a Jeep struck another vehicle and then fled law enforcement, beginning around Clark Avenue in Orcutt. The suspect drove onto Highway 101 and headed northbound into SLO County. [Tribune]

Shortly before 11 a.m., the suspect passed Nipomo. The driver was said to be weaving through traffic at high speeds and, at times, driving on the shoulder. The suspect hit speeds as high as 112 mph, according to the CHP.

Eventually, the chase moved off Highway 101. In Grover Beach, the suspect exited his vehicle and fled by foot in the area of Ramona Avenue and 10th Street.

At about 11:45 a.m., a witness reported seeing the suspect running through a backyard in the 900 block of Ramona Avenue. The suspect appeared to have blood on his shirt.

Shortly afterwards, the CHP contacted the Grover Beach Police Department, asking for help finding a man wearing a checkered shirt along with a white long-sleeve shirt. The suspect was reportedly about 6 feet tall and weighing 180 pounds with gray curly hair.

Authorities deployed drones to assist as officers searched for the man by foot. Heavy fog reportedly impeded officers as they searched for the suspect. 

Prior to 2 p.m., Grover Beach police announced that Arroyo Grande officers located the suspect in Arroyo Grande and arrested him.