Sky Watch helps Fresno police catch reckless driver

Fresno police caught a wanted man early Saturday morning after a chase across town that involved the Sky Watch helicopter and ended at a hotel where the man’s grandmother was staying.

Sgt. Chris Desmond said the driver, 30-year-old Zachary Kinberger, was wanted on felony charges and was high on marijuana and prescription medicine.

Desmond described what happened:

Just after midnight, officers from the Southwest Violent Crime Impact Team stopped Kinberger for a minor traffic violation in the area of Glenn and McKenzie avenues in central Fresno. Kinberger pulled to the curb and stopped, but sped away before officers could approach his car.

Officers chased Kinberger to Van Ness Avenue and Highway 180, where the pursuit was called off in the interest of public safety.

Sky Watch tracked Kinberger as he sped east on Highway 180, then north on Highway 41 where he clocked speeds of just under 100 mph.

He got off at Shaw Avenue eastbound, running several red lights at high speeds before turning into the University Square Hotel on Cedar Avenue just south of Shaw. There, he circled the parking lot twice before stopping and taking off on foot. Officers found him outside his grandmother’s hotel room.

Desmond said Kinberger was on probation for a weapons charge and has an open case for domestic violence and assault with a weapon.

He was booked into Fresno County Jail on the open charges, violating probation, driving under the influence and evading police.

This story was originally published September 5, 2015 at 9:50 AM with the headline "Sky Watch helps Fresno police catch reckless driver."