VIDEO: Suspect Driving In Excess Of 120 mph Captured During CHP Pursuit
OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- Even on highways emptied of heavy traffic by the current coronavirus shelter-in-place, the California Highway Patrol says speeding drivers are still a problem including one apprehended after accelerating to speeds in excess of 120 mph.
An incident occurred on early Thursday morning. Oakland and CHP Contra Costa officers pursued a speeding driver from San Francisco to the Oakland Airport then to Contra Costa County. The driver was finally captured after spike strips flattened the vehicles tires, bringing it to a halt.
The pursuit was captured on the video below
**Spike Strips End Pursuit** Early Thursday morning CHP H-30 assisted CHP – Oakland and CHP – Contra Costa with a pursuit that transitioned from San Francisco to the Oakland Airport then to Contra Costa County. CHP Officers with spike strips were successfully able to end the pursuit after the suspect vehicles tires fell off. Although this is a time of shelter in place, the California Highway Patrol is fully staffed and enforcing the laws of California.
Posted by CHP - Golden Gate Division Air Operations on Saturday, March 28, 2020
Castro Valley CHP posted a photo on social media of some of the tickets officers wrote last Sunday. Seven drivers were cited for going over 100 mph and one ticket was for someone allegedly doing 117 mph. And the driver was in an uninsured Hyundai.
SLOW DOWN!! Yesterday our day-shift officers stopped 7 cars going over 100 MPH. One driver was stopped for 117 MPH! This type of behavior will obviously get our attention. Please drive responsibly. #CHP375
Posted by CHP - Castro Valley on Monday, March 23, 2020
"There are some vehicles that are moving fast than typical and faster than what is allowed by law," said San Jose CHP Officer Ross Lee, who added his office is not taking a hands-off or lenient approach during this time.
"We are still out and making sure there is proper enforcement for people who are speeding, driving distracted, driving under the influence and we're still providing a high level of safety and service," Ross said.
Pleasant Hill police tweeted a shot of an alleged speeder getting a ticket in that city under the hashtag, "#wearestillhere."
One man who drives for a living hopes his fellow motorists get the message and just slow down.
"Stay safe out there, drive safe," said Mark Vickers, who drives a truck for a living. "We're all in this together, you know."
But with fewer cars on the road overall, the CHP is writing fewer speeding tickets. In March of 2019, the office wrote 742 speeding tickets. So far in March of 2020, records show officers wrote only 205 speeding tickets.