Novato Wrong-Way Driver Leads Police On Pursuit

NOVATO, CA — A wrong-way driver was arrested Sunday afternoon in San Francisco after leading police on a pursuit that began in Novato, police said.

Shawn Green, a 30-year-old Alameda County man, was arrested on suspicion of multiple charges including assault on an officer, reckless evasion, and displaying a replica firearm, the Novato Police Department said.

The involved officer was not injured, police said.

Green also had an outstanding for a burglary, police said. He was booked at Marin County Jail.

The pursuit began at a Novato shopping center after an officer got a tip that a person was seen “manipulating a handgun in the driver seat of a vehicle’ that was parked near a Target store.

The officer patrolling the Vintage Oaks Shopping Center located a black SUV that matched the vehicle described, and saw a black handgun in the vehicle, police said.

As the officer approached the vehicle attempting to contact the driver, he drove toward the officer, narrowly missing the officer as he fled the area, police said.

When the officer followed the vehicle out of the shopping center, the driver started driving recklessly in opposite lanes of traffic, police said.

The officer aborted the pursuit, citing safety concerns, according to police.

Additional officers spotted the vehicle traveling west on Rowland Boulevard and they pursued the vehicle onto Highway 101 southbound police said.

The California Highway Patrol was requested to assist and took over the pursuit as the vehicle reached Highway 37, police said.

A CHP aircraft pursued the vehicle as the driver led authorities into San Francisco, police said.

The suspect was arrested after he crashed on Montgomery Street, according to police.

Authorities recovered two replica firearms from Green’s vehicle, police said.

“We are thankful for the community member quickly reporting the driver seen with the gun,” police said in a statement.

“We greatly appreciate the assistance of our law enforcement partners, California Highway Patrol and San Francisco Police Department for their assistance in apprehending the suspect.”