Police chase drunk 18 wheeler driver...arrested and subdued with batons

Randy Orton

WC's Resident Alchoholic

Raw video,LOS ANGELES A 51-year-old man, suspected of drunkenly driving a large Vons delivery truck, was subdued by baton-wielding officers following a freeway chase from Calabasas to Santa Fe Springs Sunday, City News Service reported.

Charles Thomas is accused of leading police on a 40-mile chase in his big truck down three freeways to the Vons distribution center, where a video journalist captured pictures of California Highway Patrol officers using batons to subdue him.

A CHP press release said Thomas "aggressively exited his vehicle, failing to comply with the verbal commands from officers." Smith, the CHP said, was "taken into custody using departmentally-approved procedures."

He suffered minor bruising, and although CHP officers said he did not want treatment, was taken to Norwalk Community Hospital for a check before he was booked at the sheriff's Norwalk station. No officers were injured.

Originally, Los Angeles sheriff's deputies in Calabasas were flagged down at about 11:10 p.m. by several motorists who said a possibly-drunken driver in a big rig was weaving on the Ventura (101) Freeway, said sheriff's Sgt. Dan Raimo of the Malibu-Lost Hills Sheriff's Station.

Deputies caught up to the eastbound truck near Tampa Avenue in Tarzana and attempted to pull the driver over, Raimo said. But the truck driver refused to yield.

CHP officers officers took over the pursuit as the truck left the San Fernando Valley on the Hollywood (101) Freeway, he said.

After more than 40 miles of pursuit down the 101 and Santa Ana (5) freeways -- and after running over a spike strip that punctured several tires -- the truck was driven into the large Vons distribution center in Santa Fe Springs at about 12:15 a.m.

The Vons truck had not been reported stolen, Raimo said. Thomas, a Carson resident, was booked on suspicion of evasion and resisting arrest.

This was filmed on Feb 03/08.