Man arrested after high-speed chase through Carmel, Big Sur

A Gilroy man is under arrest after he led police on a high-speed chase from Carmel to Big Sur and then attempted to flee the scene while being under the influence of drugs, according to the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office.

The suspect was identified as Christopher Adam Chavez from Gilroy.

In a post on Facebook, the Sheriff’s Office said a Honda Civic driving wildly on Highway 1 was speeding southbound in the northbound lane, sporadically weaving through traffic going in both directions. Deputies caught up to the vehicle at Point Lobos, however, the driver ignored the lights and sirens and continued through Big Sur then into the south coast.

The Sheriff’s Office said CHP used spike strips to try to stop the car and it punctured three of the suspects tires. The suspect dashed from the car and skidded down the cliffside to the beach below.

The Sheriff’s Office said the suspect was arrested and admitted to being under the influence of narcotics. He was airlifted to the trauma center at Natividad Medical Center after getting injured falling off a cliff.

Chavez faces charges of reckless driving, felony evading of police, resisting arrest, and driving under the influence.