11:47 AM: A man was arrested Tuesday night after smashing his car into a gas station in San Francisco, then fleeing across the Bay Bridge and driving into the water at Berkeley’s Aquatic Park, police said today.
The incident began shortly after 10 p.m. when Mick Lee, a 50-year-old San Francisco resident, got into an argument with a homeless person at the Chevron gas station at Sixth and Harrison streets in the city’s South of Market neighborhood, police spokesman Officer Albie Esparza said.
The transient allegedly slashed a tire on Lee’s vehicle, causing him to go into the gas station to complain, police said. He then went back out to his car, still upset over the incident, and rammed the car twice into the door of the station before fleeing, Esparza said.
California Highway Patrol officers tried to stop Lee near Seventh and Bryant streets but he refused to pull over, driving across the Bay Bridge to the East Bay, according to police and the CHP.
The vehicle then exited Interstate Highway 80 at Shellmound Street and ended up driving into the water at Aquatic Park near Ashby Avenue, CHP officials said.
Lee tried to swim away from the car but was arrested a short time later, according to the CHP.
He was booked into jail by San Francisco police on suspicion of vandalism, felony evading arrest and hit-and-run, Esparza said.
Dan McMenamin, Bay City News
1:22 AM: A vehicle pursuit that began in San Francisco came to an end when the suspect vehicle drove into the water at Berkeley Aquatic Park late Tuesday night, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The pursuit began at about 10:50 p.m. on northbound U.S. Highway 101 near Mission Street in San Francisco, according to the CHP.
CHP pursued the suspect vehicle onto eastbound Interstate Highway 80 across the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge to Emeryville.
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The suspect vehicle then took the Shellmound Street exit and continued on surface streets to Berkeley, according to the CHP.
The suspect drove off the roadway into the water near Ashby Avenue and into the water at Berkeley Aquatic Park.
The solo occupant of the suspect vehicle escaped the vehicle and was seen swimming in Aquatic Park, continuing to evade arrest, according to the CHP.
The suspect surrendered to CHP and was arrested without further incident shortly after 11:30 p.m., according to the CHP.
The San Francisco Police Department is continuing to investigate the incident.
The Shellmound Street ramp was temporarily closed for investigation, according to the CHP.
Hannah Albarazi, Bay City News
