COALINGA, Calif. – A man with a history of DUI arrests was taken into custody twice in the same morning after allegedly stealing his impounded truck from a tow yard, according to the Coalinga Police Department.
40-year-old Ronald Jason Eskew was first arrested by CHP in the early morning hours for driving without a court-mandated ignition interlock device, which he had reportedly removed illegally. His pickup truck was towed following the arrest.
After being released, Eskew returned to the tow yard, broke into his truck, and started it using a screwdriver, officers said. As he fled, he nearly struck an employee trying to close the gate.
Later that morning, around 8:25 a.m., Coalinga police attempted to stop Eskew for a lighting violation near Highway 198 and Gale Avenue. He refused to pull over and led officers on a brief chase before they used a pursuit intervention technique to stop the vehicle at Elm and Springs.
Eskew was booked into Coalinga City Jail and later transferred to the Fresno County Jail. He now faces several charges, including:
Reckless evading
Assault with a deadly weapon
Vehicle theft
Possession of stolen property
Grand theft
Authorities noted that Eskew has a pattern of DUI offenses, and this incident further underscores the risks posed by repeat offenders.
