PORT ANGELES – A Port Angeles man was arrested Friday night after leading police in a car chase while driving a U-Haul box truck.
28-year-old Andrew Benson, who had an outstanding warrant for his arrest, was spotted by a Clallam County Sheriff’s Deputy behind the wheel of a parked U-Haul in the Gales Addition area late Friday night. Beside him was a female passenger.
The deputy pulled in front of the truck and ordered Benson to exit the U-Haul several times. The female passenger climbed out of the U-Haul and walked away.
Benson refused to exit and instead drove away. Deputies requested and received permission to pursue Benson for suspected DUI. They say Benson forced other vehicles off the road, drove the wrong way on a one way road and nearly collided with other vehicles.
He eventually stopped at the north end of Baker St. in Port Angeles, jumped out of the truck and tried to get away on foot. A Deputy was able to grab ahold of him and they both went over a 10-foot embankment into blackberry bushes and stinging nettles. After a short struggle, Benson was taken into custody.
Medical personnel were called to the scene because Benson told them he had swallowed a baggie containing one and one-half grams of Fentanyl. Benson was transported to Olympic Medical Center and evaluated.
Once Benson was cleared from the hospital, he was booked into Clallam County jail for Eluding a Police Vehicle, DUI-Drugs, Resisting Arrest, Obstructing an Officer, Reckless Endangerment and Driving while License Suspended.