Motorist Arrested After Allegedly Fleeing Traffic Stop, Leading Cops On High-Speed Chase

SONOMA COUNTY, CA – Sebastopol police arrested a Guerneville man after a brief high-speed chase that ended in Santa Rosa early this morning, according to police.

The pursuit started at about 12:40 a.m. when Sebastopol police Sgt. Nick Belliveau tried to pull over the driver of a black BMW sedan for a traffic violation on state Highway 116 at the south end of town, said Sgt. Greg DeVore.

The driver, 36-year old Joshua Szymczak, then allegedly sped off through town and turned east on state Highway 12. At that point, a Sonoma County sheriff's deputy who happened to be nearby joined in the chase, DeVore said.

"During the pursuit, the BMW almost crashed twice because of their dangerous driving," the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office said.

Szymczak made it as far as Stony Point Road before losing control of his car and spinning out. He was arrested on suspicion of fleeing a police officer, possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia and driving on a suspended license, DeVore said.

"The whole thing only took four minutes," DeVore said.

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--Bay City News contributed to this report/Image via Sonoma Sheriff