The Summit County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release that an intoxicated driver merged onto Interstate 70 while fleeing from law enforcement Saturday, Feb. 15, adding to the “holiday weekend chaos.”

The Sheriff’s Office arrested a 44-year-old man from Hawaii on a felony charge of driving under the influence, according to the news release. He was also arrested on misdemeanor charges of false reporting to law enforcement, vehicular eluding, reckless endangerment and two counts of harassment, the release states. He is also reportedly facing multiple traffic violations.

On Saturday night, deputies responded to the Copper Mountain area after reports of a physical altercation and an intoxicated driver, the release states. Witnesses, who described the suspect as highly intoxicated, reported that he had pushed a juvenile and spit on a woman before leaving the area in a vehicle, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Officers from the Frisco Police Department and Sheriff’s deputies searched the area, located the suspect, and initiated a traffic stop, where the Hawaiian man provided false identification before driving off and merging onto I-70, the release states. At the time, heavy snowfall and significant traffic congestion created a highly dangerous situation for the public and first responders, the Sheriff’s Office said. 

Deputies and officers followed the suspect and attempted another traffic stop but he refused to yield, so Colorado State Patrol troopers deployed a tire-deflation device and successfully punctured his tires, the release states. Despite this, the man continued to drive on I-70, swerving through traffic and using the shoulder of the highway before eventually coming to a stop, the release states, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Law enforcement officers then arrested the suspect and booked him into the Summit County jail, the release states. The arrest was one of three arrests for driving under the influence made over the President’s Day weekend, according to the Summit County Sheriff’s Office weekly information log.

“These actions are unacceptable and needlessly added to an already dangerous and stressful night along the I-70 corridor,” Sheriff Jaime FitzSimons said in the news release. “I’m relieved the incident was resolved peacefully and without injury and grateful for the assistance of the Frisco Police Department and Colorado State Patrol.”

Community members can report suspected intoxicated drivers by calling non-emergency dispatch at 970-668-8600 or dialing 911 in an emergency, according to the Sheriff’s Office.