A brief police pursuit through Santa Barbara’s Eastside neighborhood ended Thursday night when a fleeing driver crashed into a tree and attempted to run from the scene before surrendering to officers.
The incident began around 9:30 p.m. on March 5, when a Santa Barbara police officer spotted a black Lincoln Navigator traveling eastbound in the 1200 block of East Cota Street without its headlights on and “at a high rate of speed,” according to a statement from the Santa Barbara Police Department.
As the officer attempted to catch up, the driver continued through nearby residential streets, allegedly driving recklessly. Police attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but the driver failed to yield…