SAN MARCOS, Calif. -- A 27-year-old man is behind bars Tuesday accused of being drunk when he backed his vehicle into a woman and dragged her about 40 feet with his car, before leading police on a chase that ended when he crashed into a parked vehicle in San Marcos, authorities said.

Leopoldo Morales was backing up in a parking lot in the 200 block of West Mission Road about 4:30 p.m. Monday when he struck a woman walking toward her vehicle, according to San Diego County sheriff's Deputy Tammy Bennetts.

The back of Morales' Saturn SL struck the back of the woman, causing her to fall backwards against his car and then to the ground, Bennetts said.

Morales continued to back up, causing the woman to become wrapped underneath the Saturn as it traveled north, Bennetts said, adding that the woman was dragged for about 40 feet before Morales applied the brakes.

The woman was somehow freed, and Morales allegedly took off again. A Palomar College police officer spotted the suspect vehicle and a short chase ensued, according to Bennetts, who said Morales evaded the college officer but soon crashed into a parked vehicle on Descanso Avenue.

Morales bailed out and ran, hiding in the 900 block of Linda Vista Drive, where people pointed him out to deputies, Bennetts said. He was arrested on suspicion of felony driving under the influence and causing serious bodily injury, felony hit and run causing serious injury, evading and misdemeanor hit and run.

The woman suffered serious injuries to her right arm, back and ribs, as well as internal injuries, according to Bennetts. She was admitted to Palomar Medical Center in Escondido, where she remained this morning.

Morales was booked into the Vista jail in lieu of $163,500 bail. He may be arraigned as early as Wednesday afternoon, according to jail records.