C.H.P. OFFICER NARROWLY AVOIDS INJURY

A California Highway Patrol officer had to leap into oleander bushes to avoid being hit by an out-of-control car New Year's morning after a routine traffic stop on Highway 99 near Turlock.Officer J.B. Peregoy wasn't injured, but the rear of his patrol car was smashed.

The CHP said Peregoy was parked on the side of the highway south of Hatch Road at 7:52 a.m. The officer had pulled over a car driven by Zenia Duarte, 28, of Turlock, whose Chevrolet was parked in front of him. Richard F. Bernal, 22, of Ceres was driving a Honda northbound about 70 mph when he switched lanes to pass one car, then veered back to avoid hitting another car. Bernal hit his brakes, skidded onto the road shoulder and toward Peregoy and Duarte.

The officer jumped to safety before Bernal's vehicle hit the empty CHP car. The CHP car then bumped Duarte's car, with her inside. Duarte received precautionary medical treatment at the scene by ambulance personnel, but she declined medical aid. Her car had no visible damage. Neither Bernal nor Peregoy was injured.