WILLITS — A Santa Rosa man was arrested after leading officers on a high-speed chase for more than 20 miles and avoiding a spike strip on Highway 101 Wednesday afternoon.
Matthew Thomas Fudge, 19, was booked into the Mendocino County Jail on charges of felony evading and eluding police while driving into oncoming traffic, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) stated.
The reason Fudge failed to stop is under investigation.
A CHP officer first tried to pull over the Chevrolet pickup driven by Fudge about 2:40 p.m. after seeing it traveling nearly 90 mph.
But Fudge didn”t stop and led officers on a chase northbound on Highway 101 south of Willits for nearly 24 miles at speeds exceeding 100 mph, the CHP stated.
He evaded a spike strip on the highway south of the city limits and continued into the city, where he swerved into oncoming traffic at a high rate speed, the CHP stated.
“Fearing for public safety, the pursuit was terminated by the CHP south of Holly Street,” according to a CHP statement.
Mendocino County Sheriff”s Office and Willits Police Department personnel located the pickup north of the city limits, at which time Fudge stopped and was taken into custody.
No injuries or damage occurred because of the chase.
