Driver used turn signal, stopped for red lights — in car chase from Pismo to SLO

A man was arrested Thursday morning following a low-speed pursuit that led from Pismo Beach to San Luis Obispo.

About 8:52 a.m., a Pismo Beach police officer was monitoring the intersection of James Way and Highland Drive when the officer was flagged down by a resident, according to a police press release.

The resident told the officer that an older Chevrolet Tahoe SUV was driving erratically around the neighborhood and stopping in front of houses “for a suspicious amount of time,” according to the release.

The officer saw the Chevy on Capanna Lane near James Way and attempted to stop it — but the SUV drove away, police said.

The officer pursued the car “due to the suspicious nature of the subject, the fact he was driving around the area that had been burglarized recently, fleeing the detention, and vehicle code violations,” according to the police department. Police continued to chase the car through Avila Valley, the police department said.

The California Highway Patrol took over the chase about 9:10 a.m., when the chase reached the area of northbound Highway 101 and Los Osos Valley Road, according to CHP Sgt. Eric Martinez.

The driver, identified as 42-year-old Vincent Depass, led police from Broad Street to Orcutt Road on the southern end of town, then up to Johnson Avenue past San Luis Obispo High School and up to the Cal Poly area.

On average, speeds of the chase ranged from 20 mph to 40 mph, Martinez said.

“A couple, occasions, he would speed up at most at 50 to 55 (mph),” Martinez said. “60 (mph) was the highest point we recorded but he almost immediately slowed back down.”

During the chase, the driver obeyed some traffic laws.

“He was stopping at stop signs, stopping at red lights. He used his turn signals, used his hazards,” Martinez said.

The driver stopped multiple times to get out of his vehicle and yell at authorities chasing him, according to a Tribune photographer on the scene.

“Toward the end, he was hanging out of the car and definitely interacting with people as he was driving through,” Martinez said.

Depass was arrested on Hathway Avenue near Kentucky Street at about 10 a.m. on suspicion of evading police, driving under the influence of drugs, battery on a peace officer and resisting arrest, Martinez said.

As of 2 p.m. Thursday, San Luis Obispo County Jail records did not show that Depass was in custody.

Tribune photographer Joe Johnston contributed to this story.

This story was originally published July 26, 2018 at 11:01 AM.