Driver Escapes After High Speed Chase from Sonoma County to San Francisco

BAY AREA, CA -- The driver of a U-Haul truck who led authorities on a high-speed chase spanning over 50 miles from Santa Rosa to San Francisco on Wednesday night remains at large, according to the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office.

At about 9 p.m., a sheriff's deputy attempted to stop the driver for running a stop sign and driving left of a double yellow line in the area of Olive and Hazel streets.

Instead of pulling over, he led authorities on a pursuit that reached speeds of more than 100 mph. The driver entered southbound U.S. Highway 101 at Third Street and proceeded to exit and re-enter the highway
throughout the course of the chase, sheriff's officials said.

The driver first exited the highway in Rohnert Park, heading west to Stony Point Road. Deputies laid a spike strip at Stony Point Road and state Highway 116 in Cotati, but the driver entered the highway again at
Pepper Road, continuing south, according to the sheriff's office.

He attempted to exit at both Petaluma Boulevard North and East Washington Street, but authorities had blocked off the exits to protect motorists.

California Highway Patrol officers took over at state Highway 37 in Marin County before the chase continued onto the Golden Gate Bridge.

Authorities abandoned the pursuit when the driver entered San Francisco, fearing for the public's safety since the driving was deemed too erratic.

Sheriff's detectives will be investigating the rental records of the U-Haul truck to identify the driver, a man who was accompanied by a woman in the passenger seat.

Anyone with information about the chase is encouraged to call sheriff's Sgt. Spencer Crum at (707) 565-2650.

By Bay City News/Image via Shutterstock