A 61-year-old woman was arrested Tuesday morning after leading authorities on a chase from Santa Cruz County to Monterey County and drinking from a large bottle of liquor at the end of the pursuit, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Anne Figen, a Monterey resident, was arrested at about 11:05 a.m. Tuesday after a pursuit that started when she refused to yield to a suspected DUI stop by Capitola police on Soquel Wharf Road near Porter Street, just outside Capitola city limits, CHP officials said.
Figen fled in her 2000 Honda Odyssey minivan onto southbound state Highway 1. The CHP was requested to take over the pursuit and followed the van into Monterey County.
Officers made two attempts to use a spike strip to stop the minivan and the second attempt was successful, deflating its tires near Del Monte Boulevard, according to the CHP.
Figen allegedly attempted to make a U-turn in a dirt median but the vehicle got stuck in the soft dirt.
She then climbed into the back seats of the van, refused officers' commands to get out, and could be seen drinking from a large bottle that was later determined to be Cognac brandy, CHP officials said.
CHP officers eventually broke the van's windows to gain access to Figen, who was arrested on suspicion of felony reckless evading and driving under the influence, according to the CHP.
