A 100-mph car chase in California ended in the Pacific Ocean, police say. The driver survived and was arrested.
Police in California say a high-speed chase ended Tuesday after a suspect drove off a cliff and into the Pacific Ocean — only to be safely recovered and arrested.
The incident started when police received reports of a man shooting a gun, according to a release from the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office. Police believe the incident escalated into a carjacking, which resulted in a chase.
The suspect fled at speeds reaching more than 100 mph, heading from a rural area north of Santa Cruz toward the city, the release said. Police say they stopped their pursuit as the suspect reached the city.
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Police saw the vehicle soon after driving on West Cliff Drive — a cliffside road directly adjacent to the Pacific Ocean.
There, police say, the suspect crashed, driving off the road and into the surf.
Following the crash, "the suspect climbed out of the car and up the cliff," the release says. He was then arrested.
The cliffs in that area are about 30 feet in elevation, according to U.S. Geological Survey data.
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Post by santacruzpolice.
A photo of the incident posted by Santa Cruz Police shows that rescue swimmers responded to the scene. Police say the suspect was taken into custody "as he stumbled up the rocky shoreline."
Police later identified the suspect as a 56-year-old man from Portland. He faces a variety of charges, including carjacking, evading police and unlawful weapons charges.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: California car chase ends in Pacific Ocean, police say
