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Driver Arrested In San Jose After Deputy Pursuit, Standoff End Peacefully

SAN JOSE (CBS SF) -- Santa Clara County Sheriff's deputies confirmed a suspect was arrested early Tuesday morning after a pursuit and several-hour standoff that included the man threatening to cut himself and challenging officers to fight.

According to social media posts by the department, the incident began early Tuesday morning shortly before 2 a.m. when deputies attempted to stop a speeding vehicle on Highway 85 at South De Anza Boulevard in Cupertino. The driver refused to pull over, triggering a pursuit that lasted about a half an hour as the driver committed numerous traffic violations, putting the public at risk.

Deputies deployed spike strips and were able to stop the vehicle on Winchester Boulevard in San Jose. The driver, later identified as 45-year-old Peter Rivera, was acting agitated and erratic and refused to get out the vehicle.

San Jose standoff suspect Peter Rivera
San Jose standoff suspect Peter Rivera (Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office)

A standoff ensued after Rivera brandished some type of razor and threatened to hurt himself in addition to challenging deputies to fight him. The Sheriff's Office Crisis Negotiation Team was dispatched to the scene and attempted to de-escalate the situation, but Rivera still refused to exit the vehicle.

Due to the volatile and dangerous situation, the Sheriff's Office and San Jose Police Department dispatched armored vehicles to the scene to assist. With those vehicles, deputies and officers were able to pin the suspect's vehicle, preventing him from escaping and eventually taking him into custody without incident shortly before 6:30 a.m., authorities said.

Rivera was taken to an area hospital and was medically cleared. He was later booked into the San Jose Main Jail for felony evading, resisting arrest and driving without a license, according to authorities.. No one was injured in the incident.

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