From the Eureka Police Department: 

This morning at about 9:30am numerous citizens called EPD to report a possible DUI driver northbound on Broadway approaching Wabash. It was reported that the suspect vehicle, a silver 2008 Toyota 4-Runner, possibly hit a sign pole, was driving on the wrong side of the road on Broadway, and driving on the sidewalk. Officers located the vehicle, facing northbound in the southbound lanes of Broadway at 15th street.

Several citizens were out in the roadway attempting to get the driver, 24 year old Tanner NUTT of Arcata, to stop. An Officer stopped his patrol car several yards in front of Mr. NUTT’s vehicle which was now traveling at a very slow speed. The Officer activated his emergency lights, but Mr. NUTT didn’t stop, and he allowed his vehicle to collide with the front of the patrol car. The Officer attempted to get Mr. NUTT out of his vehicle, but he refused commands to open the locked doors. Fearing that the driver could possibly back up and continue driving (injuring himself or others), and not knowing if the driver was under the influence or experiencing a medical issue, Officers broke out the driver’s side window and opened the door. While trying to get NUTT out of the vehicle he started resisting and became combative. Officers removed NUTT from his vehicle and placed him on the ground into a safe handcuffing position where he was detained. NUTT and one Officer sustained minor cuts from broken glass. An ambulance was summoned to the scene to check on NUTT’s health. He was taken to the hospital where he was treated for minor facial cuts from the broken glass. Officers concluded that NUTT was not experiencing a medical issue, but was rather driving while under the influence of suspected heroin and medications.

Witnesses on scene soon advised that NUTT had been driving northbound on Broadway at a high rate of speed in the center turn lane, passing other traffic. NUTT then swerved into the southbound lanes and onto the north sidewalk where he collided with a metal street sign pole. According to witnesses NUTT failed to stop at a red light at Wabash while driving on the wrong side of the road. Once across the intersection NUTT sideswiped a vehicle that was stopped for the red light. The other driver and his 5 month old daughter were un-injured. NUTT continued driving and drove up onto the north sidewalk and almost ran over two pedestrians who had to jump out of the way. One of those pedestrians said that NUTT’s vehicle brushed up against him as he jumped out of the way but he was not injured. NUTT then slowly began to drive northbound in the southbound lanes of Broadway until he collided with the police car.

NUTT was soon cleared from the hospital and booked into the Humboldt County Jail for DUI, and Hit and Run.

Officers will also seek additional charges of: Possession of medications without a prescription, driving on the wrong side of the road, driving on the sidewalk, and failure to stop for a red light.

EPD would like to thanks the numerous callers and witnesses who either remained on scene or came back to the scene to provide a statement. Anyone who may have witnessed this incident, but was not contacted at the scene is asked to contact Senior Traffic Officer Gary Whitmer at (707) 441-4232.