Sheriff’s Charger also hits front of Mexican eatery
A suspected drunk driver pulled out in front of a San Benito
County Sheriff’s Office deputy who was pursuing a vehicle for a
traffic stop at 2:15 a.m. Sunday, totaling both cars involved and
also damaging the El Grullense restaurant building on the 900 block
of Fourth Street.
Sheriff’s Charger also hits front of Mexican eatery
A suspected drunk driver pulled out in front of a San Benito County Sheriff’s Office deputy who was pursuing a vehicle for a traffic stop at 2:15 a.m. Sunday, totaling both cars involved and also damaging the El Grullense restaurant building on the 900 block of Fourth Street.
The deputy was pulling out of the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office parking lot on Fourth Street when he noticed a car traveling westbound at a high rate of speed, according to authorities. The deputy turned on his lights and attempted to catch the vehicle.
San Benito County Sheriff Curtis Hill said the deputy was attempting to overtake, or get behind, a possible drunk driver after that driver had been seen going an estimated 55 or 60 MPH and crossing over the center line.
“It’s pretty obvious,” he said.
Hill said that going 65 MPH down Fourth Street at 2:15 a.m. was “well within our policy.”
“He was going down the road well lit up.”
The California Highway Patrol reported that the deputy was traveling at a speed of 65 MPH. When the deputy got to the intersection of Line and Fourth streets another driver, a 19-year-old Hollister female driver pulled out into the intersection. The deputy tried to avoid the suspect’s car but couldn’t and struck the Volkswagen Jetta on the left side.
The collision caused the deputy’s Dodge Charger – one of two marked vehicles recently acquired by the office – to run into the side of the restaurant while the Jetta was damaged in the front. As for the high rate of speed, Hill said that it was OK to go that fast.
“It’s the middle of the night,” he said. “Every officer has done that chasing drunk drivers.”
He added that preliminarily, there were no rules broken by the deputy.
According to fire officials, the woman was extricated from the car and she didn’t know what had happened, which led firefighters to call for CALSTAR. However, due to weather conditions, the suspect was taken to Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital and was cleared. Afterward, the suspect was arrested on felony DUI charges and booked into the county jail. She has not been charged at this point by the district attorney’s office. A CHP official, Officer Matt Peters, said he didn’t know what the blood-alcohol content was for the driver but thinks there was blood drawn to determine that level. The case is still under investigation.
The deputy suffered a contusion to the back of his head and complained of pain but was later released by medical officials.
Both the suspect’s car and the sheriff’s cruiser were totaled in the accident.
Hollister code enforcement showed up at the scene and recommended that damaged parts of the building be boarded up. It appeared as though some windows and a door were damaged on the restaurant building.
Lt. Roy Iler said the deputy involved in the accident is not on administrative leave. He was expected to return to work on Thursday or Friday, barring any unforeseen medical issues.
