RAPID CITY, S.D. — Rapid City Police say a 21-year-old Rapid City man was arrested Wednesday night after allegedly fleeing multiple crash scenes, leading police on a pursuit through the city before crashing into a business car wash.
At approximately 9:00 p.m. on February 12, an officer observed a Ram pickup rear-end a Ford F-150 at the intersection of Anamosa Street and North Lacrosse Street. The Ram then drove around the Ford, ran a red light at high speed, and continued fleeing.
The officer tried to pull him over, but the suspect vehicle continued driving recklessly. Moments later, the Ram struck a Toyota SUV at the intersection of Interstate 90 and North Lacrosse Street before continuing onto I-90 and then south onto Elk Vale Road.
The pursuit ended when the vehicle lost control near the Circle K gas station at 3216 E. Highway 44, crashing into the car wash. Officers pulled the driver from the vehicle and immediately detected the odor of alcohol.
The driver was identified as Manuel Perez, 21, of Rapid City. He was arrested and charged with:
- Driving Under the Influence (DUI)
- Two Counts of Leaving the Scene of a Crash
- Eluding Law Enforcement
- Driving Without a Valid License
- No Proof of Insurance
Perez was transported to the Pennington County Jail. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in the incident.
