East Sonora Chase Ends In Crash
East Sonora, CA – A chase in East Sonora that reached speeds of over 80 mph on Highway 108 ended in a crash and an arrest for DUI.
A report of a drunk driver had Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Deputies searching for the vehicle in the area of Mono Way and Cordelia Avenue near Hess Avenue on Sunday around 5:30 p.m. A deputy spotted the car and observed the vehicle swerving. Sheriff’s spokesperson Ashley Boujikian reports that the deputy tried to make a traffic stop near Mono Way and Highway 108, but the driver, 46-year-old Lee Peterson, hit the gas, continuing east on the highway.
“During the pursuit, the driver crossed the double yellow lines multiple times and lost control of the vehicle by fishtailing and sliding. The driver again lost control of the vehicle at Highway 108 near Mono Vista Road, where the driver crashed the vehicle into a drainage ditch,” detailed Boujikian.
Peterson was ordered out of the vehicle and arrested without incident. A record check revealed he had another out-of-county felony DUI warrant for his arrest. Boujikian added, “While being taken into custody, deputies noticed Peterson was slurring his speech, unsteady on his feet, and smelled like alcohol.”
Peterson was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, evading a peace officer with wanton disregard for safety, and his felony warrant.
