Driver deliberately crashes SUV into SD Sheriff's car near Lawrence Welk Resort

ESCONDIDO (CNS) - A San Diego County sheriff's deputy suffered minor injuries in unincorporated Escondido when a driver who fled during a traffic stop and led her on a high-speed pursuit turned around and crashed an SUV into her patrol car, authorities said.

It started at 10:44 p.m. Sunday, July 7 when Deputy S. Hurd saw a dark Nissan Pathfinder driven northbound on Center City Parkway near Jesmond Dene Road without lights on, sheriff's Sgt. Hank Lebitski said.

The deputy initiated a traffic stop at Champagne Boulevard north of Mountain Meadow Road and the driver stopped briefly but took off in the vehicle north on Champagne Boulevard at speeds up to 90 mph, Lebitski said. The suspect then turned west on Gopher Canyon Road.

The driver made a U-Turn and entered the southbound Interstate 15, then made another U-Turn from the far left lane to head northbound in the southbound lane deliberately into the rear passenger door of Hurd's patrol car, disabling the sheriff's vehicle, he said.

Hurd was taken to Palomar Hospital for a complaint of pain and was treated and released, Lebitski said.

The Pathfinder was located at the Lawrence Welk Resort in the 8800 block of Lawrence Welk Drive in Escondido and a suspect was taken into custody but the actual driver was not located during an extensive search, he said.