08.24.2021 | 8:42 PM | IRVINE – A woman was injured after being struck by an agitated driver who later collided with a police vehicle while apparently trying to flee, Tuesday night.
The traffic collision involving a pedestrian was reported near the intersection of Spyrock and Masterson around 8:42 PM.
Units arriving on scene located a female down in the roadway and an agitated male driver in a silver 2014 Ford Escape who was apparently trying to flee, according to radio traffic.
Officers reportedly positioned their patrol vehicles to prevent the driver from fleeing but he continued to back into one of the vehicles before stopping.
The driver was later taken into police custody while firefighter paramedics tended to the downed pedestrian. He was identified as 66-year-old Thomas Robert Tucker, of Orange.
The downed pedestrian was transported to an area trauma center in unknown condition, according to a fire department official.
Tucker was placed into police custody and later evaluated by paramedics before being transported to an area hospital for unknown reasons, the official added.
Several witnesses said the driver of the Ford was traveling eastbound on Spyrock just before Masterson when he collided with furniture and trash cans on the street that, in turn, struck a female pedestrian who was walking on the sidewalk.
The witnesses said Tucker tried to flee southbound on Spyrock before realizing it was a dead-end street and returning to the initial crash location. There he reportedly yelled at the victim and a crowd of good samaritans something to the effect of “this is how are gonna settle it.”
Despite the statement Tucker is not believed to have known the victim.
Court records indicate Tucker is facing felony charges ranging from attempted murder to assault on a peace officer. He is being held in lieu of $1,000,000 bail.
A police watch commander declined to comment on the incident and the department spokesperson was not available.
