Alleged hit-and-run DUI suspect arrested after police chase

A man accused of leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase after striking a pedestrian with his car outside Los Banos has been arrested, authorities said.

Anthony R. Paulsen, 38, from Schenectady, N.Y., was driving a 2004 Ford and sustained major injuries, according to a California Highway Patrol news release. He was airlifted to Memorial North Hospital in Modesto for treatment before being placed under arrest.

Police and fire officials weren’t able to locate the pedestrian involved in the crash, according to the release.

At 7:44 p.m. Tuesday, the Los Banos-area CHP was notified about a pedestrian who was struck by a vehicle on Interstate 5 near Cottonwood Road after attempting a U-turn.

While responding to the scene, CHP units located the suspect vehicle and attempted to make an enforcement stop, the release states. However, the driver failed to yield and led officers on a pursuit.

The chase led to Gonzaga Road south of eastbound Highway 152, where the car ran off the road, overturned and caught fire.

According to the news release, CHP units from Los Banos and Modesto, a CHP helicopter, and fire and ambulance personnel couldn’t locate the pedestrian in the area.

CHP Officer Dean Emehiser said crews searched for the victim until the early hours of Wednesday morning.

This story was originally published June 8, 2016 at 7:05 PM with the headline "Alleged hit-and-run DUI suspect arrested after police chase."