WATSONVILLE—A man was seriously injured late Saturday night after he crashed his vehicle on Beach Road and was hurled into an agriculture field.
The bizarre chain of events started around 10:30pm when the man, who has not been named, was involved in a hit-and-run crash in a business parking lot near Taco Bell at Green Valley Road and Freedom Boulevard. Michelle Pulido, spokeswoman for the Watsonville Police Department, said when WPD officers arrived at the scene the man fled in his SUV. Since his driving was erratic, police canceled pursuing his vehicle, Pulido said.
A short time later, as the man sped south on Beach Road out of the city, he struck a Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputy’s patrol car at Beach and Thurwachter roads, Ashley Keehn, spokeswoman for the Sheriff’s Office, said. The man reportedly sped away from that crash scene as well and charged south on Beach Road. A short distance later he slammed into a utility pole. The impact reportedly ejected the driver and the seat he was in out of the car and into a farm field.
By the time emergency officials reached the scene the driver was found unconscious in the dirt.
He was taken to an out of county trauma center.
The deputy was not hurt and his car sustained minor damage, Keehn said.
Keehn said no charges have been put forth and are pending the suspect’s release from the hospital.
The incident is still under investigation.
