Irvine police officers said they apprehended a reckless driver who was spotted traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes of Alton near East Yale Loop.
The unfolding events led to a pursuit, concluding in a Foothill Ranch neighborhood where the driver was blocked in and finally brought to a stop.
The daring encounter began when an alert officer observed a vehicle dangerously navigating against traffic on Alton, police said. Despite the officer’s attempts to pull the vehicle over, the driver refused to stop. A pursuit ensued, taking officers through city streets until it reached a residential area in Foothill Ranch, investigators added.
Upon halting the vehicle, officers made a startling discovery inside. An open, cold beer was found in the cup holder, and several empty beer cans littered the passenger floor, police said.
The combination of reckless driving and the presence of alcohol escalated the severity of the situation.
The identified driver, Christopher Mark Ritchie, 58, a resident of Irvine, now faces a litany of charges. He was booked into the Orange County Jail on multiple offenses, including Driving Under the Influence (DUI), evading a police officer, and driving on a suspended license, police said.