A man riding a stolen motorcycle led officers on a high-speed chase in San Diego overnight that ended with the suspect trying escape from officers by hiding out inside a storm drain.
The pursuit – which spanned several freeways across approximately 30 miles – began in National City just after midnight, near Prospect Street and Sweetwater Road, and ended 40 minutes later in a storm drain in the 14000 block of Conchos Drive in Poway.
The suspect ditched the motorcycle near the graffiti-covered storm drain and ran away on foot. Officials, flashlights in hand, trudged through some water to get to the man inside the drain. Deputies with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department (SDSO) were seen escorting the handcuffed suspect from the drain, his head hung low. He was then placed into the backseat of a patrol vehicle.
According to the National City Police Department (NCPD), the chase began when the suspect sped through at least two stop signs in front of officers. Instead of yielding for police, the suspect kept riding, hopping onto northbound Interstate 5, then State Route 163, then Interstate 15. At certain points, speeds reached 90 mph.
As the pursuit headed onto highways and toward Poway, NCPD called for backup from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and SDSO. When officers ran the suspect’s plates, they discovered the motorcycle had been reported stolen.
CHP officers chased the suspect across the freeways. When the suspect got to Conchos Drive, he hopped off the motorcycle and ran away on foot toward the storm drain. Deputies entered the drain and took the man into custody.
His name was not immediately released. No one was injured during the pursuit.
