Rohnert Park man arrested early Monday after leading Santa Rosa police on chase in stolen hospital shuttle

A Rohnert Park man was arrested early Monday after he stole a car used as a private hospital shuttle in Santa Rosa and led officers on a 41-mile chase along Highway 101, police said.

The man was leaving a local hospital around 1:30 a.m. using a private car service contracted by the medical center, Santa Rosa Police Sgt. Rick Boehm said in a news release. The car’s driver got out of the car while the engine was still running, and the man drove away in it, police said.

Officers spotted the vehicle on Santa Rosa Avenue shortly after and attempted to pull the man over but he sped off onto Highway 101.

Police then pursued the vehicle on southbound Highway 101, Lt. Chris Mahurin said.

Two spike strips that were deployed struck and punctured the car’s tires, but the vehicle continued at 40-50 mph.

The driver exited the highway after about 45 minutes at Lucky Drive in Corte Madera, police said.

As the driver turned left onto Doherty Drive, police forced the cab sideways and it stopped.

The man exited the vehicle, holding a knife, and seemed “agitated,” Boehm said.

A sergeant spoke with the man for several minutes, he said, and he eventually dropped the knife and was taken into custody.

The man, Mario Territo, 39, booked into the Sonoma County jail on suspicion of possessing and receiving a stolen vehicle and felony evading police.

He was issued a $20,000 bail.

You can reach Staff Writer Madison Smalstig at madison.smalstig@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @madi.smals.