A shirtless suspect was arrested on the sand near Crystal Pier after leading San Diego police on a slow, erratic chase that ended in front of stunned sunbathers.
The pursuit began around 7:21 a.m. Sunday in Pacific Beach, when officers began hunting a gold Nissan Frontier. The driver was allegedly doing donuts in the parking lot of Ocean Pacific Gym and Wellness before taking off, according to the San Diego Police Department.
Officers deployed spike strips in an effort to bring the vehicle to a stop, but the driver continued toward the coast. The chase wound through the area at unusually slow speeds before reaching its unexpected conclusion on the beach.
The suspect drove the Nissan directly onto the sand near Crystal Pier, where dozens of beachgoers were already gathered. Police moved in to make the arrest, with a K-9 also present at the scene.
Video posted to social media captured the tense takedown. The footage shows the shirtless suspect being ordered out of the vehicle before officers directed him to kneel on the sand.
Police said the man was taken into custody at about 8:46 a.m., roughly an hour and a half after the pursuit began. He is facing a felony evasion charge, authorities said.
San Diego police have not released the suspect’s name or age. The department has also not disclosed whether drugs or alcohol were suspected factors in the incident, or what prompted the initial donut maneuver in the gym parking lot.
The arrest drew significant attention from morning beachgoers who witnessed the unusual scene unfold on what began as a routine Sunday along the coast.
