Police find wanted parolee hiding in ditch

A California Highway Patrol airplane and a police K9 helped find a parolee who was fleeing from authorities Friday night in Vacaville.

At 10:43 p.m., the suspect became involved in a chase with CHP officers on westbound Interstate Highway 80, according to police.

The suspect then crashed his vehicle into an embankment near Allison Drive. The driver then fled on foot and ran across all lanes of traffic and into the highway’s eastbound lanes, police said.

Officers set up a perimeter near Nut Tree Parkway to look for the suspect.

After leaving his wallet behind, officers were able to identify him as 27-year-old Joseph Martinez from Stockton. Officers also learned that Martinez was on parole and at large, according to police.

A CHP airplane equipped with Forward Looking Infra Red led officers to a ditch along the freeway, where a heat source was detected. With the help of a police K9, officers found Martinez hiding and apprehended him.

Officers arrested him on suspicion of evading in a vehicle, driving under the influence of drugs, possession of methamphetamine, resisting arrest and violating parole.

Martinez was taken to hospital to treat bites he suffered from the police K9. He was later booked into the Solano County Jail.