CARLSBAD -- A 37-year-old Encinitas man was behind bars Thursday after allegedly crashing his van into a tree while under the influence of drugs then sitting inside the wrecked vehicle for hours as it was surrounded by police officers.
California State Parks officers descended on Kirk Meyer Hansen's white Ford E-350 van after it crashed into a tree alongside Carlsbad Boulevard near Avenida Encinas shortly before 7 p.m. Thursday, then requested help from Carlsbad police personnel, according to Carlsbad police.
The parks officers noted the driver was incoherent and attempted to move the van, prompting them to retreat to their vehicles as a precaution.
Officers attempted for more than three hours to coax Hansen out of the van, but he refused. Officers ultimately "forcibly removed" him from the vehicle and placed him under arrest on suspicion of DUI and hit-and-run, police said.
