According to the headline, “Canadian leads CHP on long chase” in the April 4, 1978, edition of The Bakersfield Californian, the pursuit began in Los Angeles. An officer attempted to pull Jim over, when his red Toyota Corolla illegally crossed into the centre lane, as he was trying to pass another car. Jim had no intention of stopping. Instead, he floored the gas pedal, speeding and weaving in and out of the traffic without incident. Other patrol cars joined the chase as Jim sped along Interstate 5, heading north, for more than 200 kilometres. The newspaper account provides the details of the chase:

They chased the car at speeds of 95-100 miles per hour before the driver pulled over to the shoulder of Twisselman Road.  When he stopped, the driver rolled up the windows, locked the doors and refused to come out on command, officers said. The engine of the man’s car was still running so officer Bob Cave slashed three tires with a knife… The CHP said Buchanan told a Kern Medical Center doctor he had previous mental problems.

The circumstances of the “arrest,” in the middle of nowhere, as the sun was setting, could have also been drastically different. Having a choice was pivotal, giving Jim a second chance. Otherwise, he could have been charged with impaired driving, reckless driving, and evading the police, all criminal violations in the state of California. In that case, Jim could be permanently barred from travelling to the United States.