Wrong-way driver arrested in Mission Valley following police pursuit

SAN DIEGO (CNS) – A man reported to be suicidal drove the wrong way on a Santee freeway and led law enforcement on a late-night pursuit from East County to Mission Valley, a sheriff’s sergeant said.

The pursuit ended at 10:34 p.m. Saturday when the wrong-way driver, 30-year-old Michael Carreja, crashed into thick iceplant in the center median at the intersection of Friars Road and state Route 163, Sgt. Fred Duey said. Carreja was uninjured and taken into custody at Sharp Memorial hospital.

“Carreja had been reported as a missing person at risk, and suicidal, to the San Diego Police Department,” Duey said. “As a precaution, medics were called to evaluate and Carreja was taken to Sharp Memorial for a medial and psychological evaluation.”

The Santee sheriff’s station first received a report that Carreja was driving northbound in the southbound lanes of state Route 125 at 10:10 p.m. Saturday, Duey said. Deputies attempted to pull him over, and when he failed to stop, began to pursue him on westbound Mission Gorge Road to westbound Friars Road.

Carreja was arrested on suspicion of felony evading police and reckless driving, and was to be booked into county jail when cleared by doctors.