Suspect arrested in high-speed chase

A 41-year-Reno man who led deputies on a high-speed chase Saturday night through 3 miles of the Tahoe casino core is facing charges of driving under the influence and reckless driving.

Jose Perez Torres was taken to Barton Memorial Hospital for severe intoxication after his pickup truck collided with a patrol car, ending the chase.

There were no injuries.

According to Sgt. Tom Mezzetta, Torres is accused of running three red lights, scattering pedestrians and sideswiping a vehicle as he made his way from Harrah's Tahoe Casino east on Highway 50 to the Safeway parking lot in Roundhill.

Deputies were called to Harrah's at 8:30 p.m. Saturday for a report of a driver under the influence of alcohol.

An officer activated his overhead light and the suspect vehicle raced across the parking lot through a red light to Highway 50, narrowly avoiding pedestrians who jumped out of the way.

The vehicle continued east, crossing into the westbound lane causing numerous vehicles to run off the road, Mezzetta said.

The driver ran the red lights at Lake Parkway and Highway 50 and Kingsbury Grade and Highway 50, each time nearly colliding with several vehicles.

The driver turned into the Safeway parking lot and the deputy entered the parking lot from another location. The suspect vehicle crashed over a parking curb and into the a deputy's cruiser.

Torres was reportedly too intoxicated to be evaluated at the scene and was taken to Barton Memorial Hospital.

Torres was charged with driving under the influence, attempting to elude, reckless driving and hit and run, all misdemeanors.

Results are pending of his blood-alcohol content.

Damage to the cruiser is being assessed.