Teen driver arrested after hitting tree, fire hydrant in downtown SLO, police say
A teenage driver was arrested Sunday after hitting a tree and fire hydrant in downtown San Luis Obispo, according to the San Luis Obispo Police Department
The agency began receiving reports at approximately 5:38 a.m. of a reckless driver — later identified as Tyler Stevens, 19, of Paso Robles — in downtown San Luis Obispo, police said in a news release.
“The callers stated a maroon Ford F150 truck was traveling at a high rate of speed on Higuera Street,” police said.
Officers located the truck on the 700 block of Higuera Street “traveling the opposite direction of traffic at a high rate a speed,” tthe release said.
“Officers attempted to stop the truck but due to the erratic driving and speed, the driver evaded the stop,” police said.
Police then saw the truck being driven erratically near Tank Farm Road and Broad Street, according to the release.
Officers attempted stop Stevens in a parking lot on the 3500 block of Broad Street “when the driver increased speed and intentionally drove head on towards pursuing officers,” police said in the release, noting that the officers then “ended the pursuit to reduce potential harm.”
At 6:18 am, the Cal Poly Police Department spotted a red Ford Bronco traveling erratically the wrong way on Higuera Street.
“Several minutes later, officers located the Bronco on Broad Street where it had crashed into a fire hydrant and a tree,” San Luis Obispo police said in a news release.
Police believe Stevens was driving both the F150 and Bronco and switched vehicles after the first pursuit ended.
“Both vehicles are registered to the suspect’s family members,” police said.
Stevens was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and reckless evading, police Sgt. Bryan Treanor said, noting that the deadly weapon in this case was the vehicle.
Stevens was being held at the San Luis Obispo County Jail early Monday morning in lieu of $75,000 bail.
This story was originally published December 18, 2022 at 11:39 AM.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that police received reports of a reckless driver at 5:30 p.m. Sunday. The error has been corrected.