Truck Driver in Custody After Low-Speed CHP Pursuit Across Bay Bridge

The driver of a box truck was taken into custody on U.S. Highway 101 in San Francisco after a low-speed pursuit across the Bay Bridge, a California Highway Patrol officer said Monday.

The CHP responded at 8:37 a.m. to assist another agency in a pursuit that started in the East Bay and continued across the bridge "at very low speeds," CHP Officer Ron Simmons said.

The driver, identified as 46-year-old Hector Fuentes, of Fairfield, was eventually stopped and -- after a short foot pursuit -- arrested on southbound Highway 101, just south of Cesar Chavez Street, Simmons said.

Southbound lanes remained closed near the scene of the arrest while officers searched the truck. All lanes reopened shortly before noon.

A CHP spokesperson told NBC Bay Area the pursuit began in Fairfield when Fuentes stole a box truck and started westbound on Interstate 80. He exited in Emeryville, police said, but got back on westbound 80 and took the carpool lanes onto the Bay Bridge.

CHP officers were able to set up a spike strip in the carpool lanes, just before 101. The spike strip blew out three of the truck’s tires and slowed the pursuit down to 15 mph before the suspect finally came to a stop on southbound 101.

Speeds never topped 65 mph during the pursuit, according to CHP.

Fuentes was a former employee of the company that owned the truck, according to police. He had been let go back in 2012 but had tried getting rehired as recently as December.

He faces a variety of charges, including vehicle theft, evading an officer and possession of stolen property.

Bay City News contributed to this report.

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