Chase Leads to Standoff, Shutdown of 101 Freeway
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Highway 101 in the La Conchita area north of Ventura was shut down for four hours Wednesday night when a man wanted by authorities threatened to kill himself with a knife following a police chase, authorities said.
The incident started at 6:20 p.m. when police tried to stop Patrick Tovar, 46, of Santa Paula, who was being sought on suspicion of child molestation.
Tovar sped away and California Highway Patrol officers picked up the chase from Santa Paula police on the 101, where they stopped the pickup truck with a spike strip.
After sitting on the shoulder of the northbound highway for several hours, Tovar surrendered to the CHP shortly after 10 p.m., and the highway was reopened.
Tovar was hospitalized with self-inflicted wounds, authorities said.
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