It wasn’t your average Sunday spin behind the wheel, but some Manteca Police officers did get to make a pretty lengthy drive in pursuit of a suspect who fled to Modesto and then drove back to Manteca before being apprehended.

The entire ordeal started early Sunday morning when a caller witnessed a man physically assaulting a woman on the 1300 block of Historical Plaza Way. When officers arrived, the male suspect was fleeing in a white Kia. They pursued the man onto the southbound lanes of Highway 99 towards Modesto where the California Highway Patrol joined the pursuit.

The man exited the freeway in Modesto and led officers in a chase along surface streets before getting back on the freeway northbound and heading back into Manteca.

This time when he got off the freeway at Austin Road, a Manteca Police Officer was ready – deploying a spike strip that incapacitated the vehicle and ended the pursuit.

The driver was taken into custody without incident.

According to the Manteca Police Department, Cristo Contreras, 24, of San Jose, was arrested and charged with felony evading, felony possession of a dangerous weapon (not a firearm), misdemeanor battery on a space or cohabitant, possession of marijuana for sale, and possession of a controlled substance.

He is currently being held on $150,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in Department M1 of the Manteca branch of the San Joaquin County Superior Court today at 1:30 p.m. to answer to the charges.

To contact reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.