Photo: E+
A "routine" cellphone violation turned into a wild, high-speed chase in Oakland on Tuesday (July 16) evening when a Prius driver decided to evade officers instead of face a fine.
According to SF Gate, the chase, which occurred "sometime between late Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning," started in the eastbound lanes of Interstate 80 and continued on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.
The chase proceeded into Hayward where police had to stop due to "safety reasons." California Highway Patrol spokesperson Mark Andrews told SF Gate that the suspect was running red lights and driving well-over the speed limit.
“This person was traveling at high speeds and blowing lights on several streets in Hayward. I know the driver was 120 going through Oakland.”
Police initially attempted to pull over the driver for using a mobile device while operating a vehicle as "a total of 140 people died in collisions involving distracted drivers," in California in 2021 per SF Gate.
“It’s always one of our primary objectives to enforce distracted driving."
Information regarding the identity of the driver, or if cops were able to locate this individual via license plate number, has yet to be released. Video footage that depicts the dangerous, high-speed chase in its entirety has not been shared online.