Morro Bay man found hanging off cliff after hourslong car chase
A Morro Bay man led CHP officers on an hourslong chase on Highway 101 that began in Arroyo Grande, injured at least one motorist and ended in a foot chase on a remote cliff in southern Santa Barbara County.
Trevor Michael Crain, 33, was arrested on suspicion of felony charges of evading an officer causing injury and hit-and-run and remained in custody in Santa Barbara County Jail on Wednesday afternoon.
At about 9:52 a.m., a CHP officer witnessed a white Ford F-150 truck traveling at speeds of up to 102 mph and passing traffic along the right shoulder of southbound Highway 101 near Laetitia Vineyard & Winery in Arroyo Grande.
Officers pursued the truck through Santa Maria, Buellton and Lompoc. As it traveled south past Vista Point, it passed a Volvo by traveling in the center divider, causing the driver of the Volvo to take corrective action, striking a tractor trailer and overturning before being struck again by the tractor trailer, according to the CHP.
The driver of the Volvo suffered minor to moderate injuries, the CHP said in a news release. A dog inside the vehicle was not injured.
Crain continued south and exited the highway at the Fairview Avenue exit, re-entering the highway heading north, the CHP said. A spike strip was laid on the road, puncturing the truck’s front tires north of Hollister Avenue. The vehicle continued north, however, crossing over southbound traffic and driving through a locked fence near the Bacara Resort & Spa north of Ellwood Beach.
Crain fled his vehicle and ran toward the remote cliffs, according to the CHP. A CHP helicopter and a Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office plane located him hanging off the side of a cliff. When officers arrived, a rope was dropped, and Crain was pulled up and taken into custody. Neither Crain nor police officers were injured in the chase.
Bail information was not immediately available Wednesday afternoon.
This story was originally published February 24, 2016 at 6:13 PM with the headline "Morro Bay man found hanging off cliff after hourslong car chase."