Pasadena police ChiefBernard Melekianhad the day off Monday and was driving through Santa Barbara on 101 when a car in front of him on the freeway veered to the right and crashed into a culvert.
The driver jumped from the car and ran from the scene.
The old patrolman’s instincts kicked in for Barney, according to thisstoryin the Santa Barbara Daily Sound. He pulled over and chased the 31-year-old man into an RV park, and even though the relative kid comandeered a bicycle, Barney got his perp and then called the local cops, who foundGustavo Rodriguezprone on the ground in the custody of the off-duty chief.
They also say they found him reeking of booze, and — allegedly — discovered open containers of hooch when they went back to the crashed Camry.