A driver who fled a traffic stop by a Marin County sheriff's deputy on northbound U.S. Highway 101 suffered major injuries when his vehicle crashed and overturned, a California Highway Patrol officer said.
The incident began shortly after noon on Thursday when the deputy stopped the vehicle for a violation, CHP Officer Andrew Barclay said.
As the deputy approached the right rear of vehicle, the driver sped away on Highway 37 south of state Highway 12, Barclay said.
The deputy ran back to his car, notified the dispatch center and pursued the fleeing vehicle until he lost sight of it, Barclay said.
The deputy then came upon a multi-vehicle collision related to the fleeing driver.
Several people involved in that collision pointed to a hill on the right shoulder of the road where the fleeing vehicle had overturned on its side, Barclay said.
The vehicle had hit a tree off the road at a high rate of speed, Barclay said. The driver was taken to Marin General Hospital.
The incident closed the transition from northbound Highway 101 to eastbound state Highway 37 for about 15 minutes, Barclay said.