PORT ANGELES — The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office was looking Thursday night for the driver of a 1992 red Honda Civic who led authorities on a high-speed chase down Joyce-Piedmont Road, U.S. Highway 101 and onto the residential streets of Port Angeles.
The chase was called off on Georgiana Street near Olympic Medical Center at 7:30 p.m.
“We’re going to discontinue,” a deputy said over police radio.
“He’s just driving too crazy.”
Clallam County Sheriff’s Sgt. John Keegan said the chase was called off for public safety reasons.
A description of the driver was not available, Keegan said.
The car was later discovered abandoned in an alley west of Francis Street between 10th and 11th streets.
Trooper Krista Hedstrom, State Patrol spokeswoman, said an Elwha police officer started the pursuit on state Highway 112 at Milepost 53 at about 6:45 p.m.
A State Patrol trooper led the chase on Highway 101, reaching speeds of 100 mph, until the driver reached the Port Angeles city limit.
Hedstrom said the car was reported stolen from an unknown Chinese restaurant Monday.
The driver managed to avoid a spike strip on Highway 101 near the Olympic Peninsula Humane Society at 7:23 p.m.
The driver then turned north onto Bean Road, west onto Lauridsen Boulevard and north onto Tumwater Truck Route, state Highway 117.
After turning south on Cedar Street, the driver led authorities on Fifth Street east to Race Street and north toward OMC.
Police called off the chase as the driver sped down alleys and residential surface streets.
Border Patrol agents discovered the abandoned car about 20 minutes later.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
