A flatbed truck was spotted traveling the wrong way by the California Highway Patrol this past weekend, CHP said in a release yesterday.
The driver, who was later identified as 43-year-old Antonio Vega Torres Jr. of Lompoc, was traveling southbound on highway 101 in the northbound lane at around 10:30 pm on Saturday. The release said Torres Jr. continued driving until reaching the bottom of the grade, where he corrected his orientation and continued traveling southbound in the appropriate lane. CHP officers attempted to stop Torres Jr. several times, and resulted in a lengthy chase, going all the way to Arroyo Grande and eventually turning back to Pismo Beach.
Spike traps set by CHP failed to stop the truck initially, but eventually Torres Jr. stopped near the Spyglass drive exit in Pismo Beach due to front tire damage from the spike traps, the release said. CHP used pepper spray and a taser after Torres Jr. refused to exit the cab and comply with law enforcement, threatening them with pruning shears. CHP’s release said it was later discovered the truck was stolen, and Torres Jr. was found to be under the influence of a drug and booked into the San Luis Obispo county jail.
