A 21-year-old man from Sutherlin, Oregon was taken into custody on June 29 after a police chase that began with a hit-and-run incident. According to the Sutherlin Police Department, Levi Zuniga was driving a black 2015 Honda CR-V down the center of South State Street around 2:30 a.m. when he swerved towards a marked patrol car.
The officer had to move out of the way to avoid being hit before attempting to pull over Zuniga. However, Zuniga continued to drive recklessly and failed to stop for police, committing numerous traffic violations during the chase.
The incident began with a report that Zuniga's vehicle had struck a parked 2020 Chevrolet Equinox earlier in the morning, but he did not stop or report the crash. The chase eventually ended when Zuniga stopped his car and ran on foot near Strong Avenue in Sutherlin. He was apprehended by police and taken to the Douglas County Corrections Facility.
Zuniga is facing charges of driving under the influence (DUI), trying to evade police, reckless driving, recklessly endangering another person, hit-and-run, driving while suspended, and two counts of failing to obey a traffic control device. He is currently in custody as of June 29.
The Sutherlin Police Department emphasized that impaired driving remains one of the leading causes of serious crashes and deaths on Oregon roads. Anyone who witnesses suspected impaired driving is urged to report it safely by calling 911.