Driver crashes during Santa Rosa police pursuit

Santa Rosa police arrested a driver who crashed early Monday after leading an officer on a short, high-speed chase.

Zachary Mayers, 28, of Santa Rosa was booked into the Sonoma County Jail on suspicion of evading officers with wanton disregard for public safety, wrong-way driving and possession of a meth pipe while on parole, said police Sgt. Jeneane Kucker.

About 3:30 a.m. an officer saw a driver turn from Bicentennial Avenue onto southbound Mendocino Avenue without using a turn signal and then sped south, reaching about 65 mph. The officer attempted to pull over the driver, but he accelerated to about 70 mph through the Steele Lane intersection, Kucker said.

The chase ended when the suspect’s car slammed into a traffic light pole while turning left onto Pacific Avenue.

Mayers was evaluated for minor injuries and taken to the jail where bail was set at $30,000. A search of his Saturn sedan turned up multiple large knives and a sword, Kucker said.

You can reach Staff Writer Randi Rossmann at 707-521-5412 or randi.rossmann@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter@rossmannreport.