The News

Chihuahua Leads Police on Chase Across Bay Bridge

A Chihuahua is in animal custody after leading police on a chase across the Oakland-San Francisco Bay Bridge.

In this frame from video provided by the California Highway Patrol, Officer G. Pumphrey pursues a male Chihuahua running loose on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge in San Francisco. Photo: AP/California Highway Patrol

The California Highway Patrol tweeted the small black dog “led us on quite a chase” Sunday and posted a video of it running furiously on the upper level of the bridge while being trailed by a motorcycle officer.

CHP Officer G. Pumphrey holds a male Chihuahua after they found it running loose on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay. Photo: AP/California Highway Patrol

After it was captured, the Chihuahua was taken to a San Francisco animal shelter where staff members named it Ponch, after the CHP Officer Frank Poncherello played by Erik Estrada in the TV series “CHiPs.”

A spokeswoman for the city’s Department of Animal Care and Control said the dog wore a tag decorated with a human skull, but it had no identification. Deb Campbell said the dog was recovering from its misadventure.