Man arrested for DUI after leading an El Paso County Sheriff Lieutenant on a brief car chase

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- A man was taken into custody after briefly leading law enforcement on a chase that ended in a crash east of Cimarron Hills.

On Dec. 26, just after 1 a.m., an on-duty Sheriff's Patrol Division Lieutenant saw a sedan back into a fuel pump at a convenience store in the 7900 block of Silicon Heights.

According to the El Paso County Sheriff's Office, the driver then sped through the parking lot and turned onto northbound Marksheffel Rd. The Lieutenant began following the sedan, turning on the emergency lights and indicating to the driver to stop. However, the driver continued driving through traffic at a high rate of speed.

The sheriff's office said due to the low severity of the crime, possible private property damage, and careless/reckless driving, the Lieutenant stopped following the sedan.

However, the EPCSO said the driver swerved across the median into oncoming traffic. The driver crashed on the opposite side of the road before coming to a complete stop.

Other deputies arrived at the scene and the driver was taken into custody without further incident. According to the EPCSO, no one was injured in the crash.

The driver, identified as Ernesto Cruz, was arrested for DUI. He was booked into the El Paso County Jail on the felony charge of Eluding, DUI, and Reckless Driving.

Cruz later posted a $2,000 bond and was released.