Man accused of crashing into cop cars during wild East Bay chase

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- A dramatic, damaged-filled pursuit came to a peaceful end on Wednesday morning in Berkeley. Police arrested a man who they say hit dozens of cars, including police cars, and did so on purpose.

It all ended in a residential neighborhood after a suspect in a black Mitsubishi went on an hour-long rampage, flashing a gun and smashing into dozens of cars, including several police vehicles.

"There was a car that was weaving in and out of traffic, coming down Coolidge" said the victim's mother, Tracy Patterson. "And proceeded to not only sideswipe her car, but also the car that was in front of her."

"He would look at the driver and then intentionally drive the vehicle into the person's car," said Oakland police spokesperson Johnna Watson. "Additionally, he would point a firearm at them. He was driving at very high speeds, extremely erratic. At some points he was going the wrong direction on the roadway."

Police say it began just after 8:15 a.m. near East 23rd Street and Coolidge Avenue in East Oakland when the suspect hit several cars before driving to West Oakland, then onto Interstate 80 in Berkeley with police and CHP in pursuit.

Uber driver Duryea Tracy had just picked up a passenger in North Berkeley when the Mitsubishi hit his brand new car.

Tracy notes that the suspect didn't point a gun at him.

"He just shot past me and when he hit me he got a flat tire cause after he hit me you could hear the thud of the tire," he said.

The suspect abandoned his car near the North Berkeley BART station and ran into the neighborhood.

That's where police fired a beanbag round and made the arrest.

"He was living in South Berkeley," said Jennifer Coats with the Berkeley Police Department. "I don't know if he still was at the time this happened. We have had prior contact."

Investigators brought witnesses out to the scene to identify the handcuffed suspect, .who police have yet to identify.