A pursuit involving Santa Barbara County sheriff’s deputies ended Thursday morning on the western edge of the Santa Maria Valley where the driver was arrested.
The man, suspected of being under the influence of alcohol or drugs, led deputies on a pursuit that ended on Highway 1 near Brown Road.
The incident began at 10 a.m. when deputies were dispatched to check on a man sleeping in his truck on Kapalua Drive in Orcutt, Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman Kelly Hoover said.
However, the driver fled, refusing to yield to deputies, Hoover added.
Deputies conducted a stop, with guns drawn, on Highway 1 while asking colleagues to stop traffic in the area as a precaution, according to radio traffic.
The vehicle reportedly maintained a speed of approximately 45 mph during the pursuit.
The man, Joseph Perry, 55, of Guadalupe, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs, driving on a suspended license due to a prior DUI and failure to yield by evading deputies, Hoover said.
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.