CHP officer injured, suspect arrested in high-speed chase that closes Hwy. 101

A high-speed chase left a CHP officer injured and closed northbound lanes of Highway 101 south of San Luis Obispo for more than an hour Wednesday afternoon.

About 3 p.m., Santa Maria police officers began pursuing a male driver in a black Lexus who was reportedly traveling about 95 mph and weaving in and out of traffic on Highway 101.

California Highway Patrol Officer Jordan Richards said the driver, identified as Mack Thavisay of Arkansas, led authorities north through Pismo Beach and Shell Beach while traveling up to 125 mph.

Officers deployed two spike strips along Highway 101. Thavisay avoided the first but drove over the second, Richards said, and the “tires started to deflate and he started to slow down dramatically.”

Officers then performed a PIT (pursuit intervention technique) maneuver, leaving Thavisay boxed in, facing the wrong direction and surrounded by patrol cars.

Thavisay was taken into custody by 4 p.m.

Northbound lanes of Highway 101 remained closed until about 5:15 p.m.

Richards said the officer who was injured had his foot smashed when Thavisay tried to escape the PIT maneuver. He was taken to French Hospital and release Wednesday night. The foot was not broken, Richards added.

This story was originally published November 8, 2017 at 4:12 PM with the headline "CHP officer injured, suspect arrested in high-speed chase that closes Hwy. 101."