A 19-year-old Ceres man faces a number of charges after he attempted to flee from an officer who caught him speeding and hit two other vehicles, injuring some occupants.

On Saturday Officer Mathew Vierra was monitoring traffic on Mitchell Road at Nicholas Way when a Hyundai Accent coming southbound was clocked at 64 mph while the posted speed transitions from 50 to 40 mph near River Road.

Officer Vierra attempted to stop driver Davian Lemus but he sped southbound and turned off his headlights in an attempt to lose the officer. In the intersection of Mitchell Road and Whitmore Avenue Lemus crashed into two vehicles and was detained. He told the officer, “I’m sorry, I just, I got scared.”

A woman in a Nissan Pathfinder complained of abdominal pain and was taken to Doctors Medical Center for treatment.  The other two passengers later checked into Doctors for treatment.

Two occupants of the Toyota Camry declined medical care. 

Lemus admitted smoking marijuana prior to driving but said he didn’t feel “high.”  

Lemus was held in the hospital for observation.  He will be charged with felony evading a peace officer causing injury, DUI causing injury and reckless driving causing injury.