San Mateo Police Chase Suspect Into Marshlands

San Mateo police on last week arrested a 50-year-old man who was loitering in a parking lot, drove at an officer and then led authorities on a chase that ended in the Bay's marshlands, according to police.

South San Francisco resident Jose Santiago Jr. was arrested at 10:07 p.m. June 4 on suspicion of multiple offenses, including possession of drug paraphernalia, police said.

Officers had been patrolling the area of East Third Avenue and Anchor Road when they spotted a suspicious blue Honda Civic parked in a lot along the San Francisco Bay Trail.

Officers guessed the car had been stolen since its license plates were registered to a Chevrolet, police said.

As officers neared Santiago's car, he fled the area and nearly struck an officer who was in the parking lot ordering him to stop, according to police.

Police pursued Santiago into Hayward, just east of the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge. He crashed into a fence and then ran down into the Bay's marshlands, where police followed him.

Santiago was booked into San Mateo County Jail.

— By Bay City News Service