A California man who fled a traffic stop early Sunday threw a dog out of his car window while evading authorities, police said.

Deputies attempted to pull over 20-year-old Skyler Gregory around 9:30 a.m. in Arnold – about a 3-hour drive east of San Francisco, the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

The suspect took off at high speed down Highway 4, giving way to a pursuit, and forcing motorists off the road, authorities said.

After a few miles, the suspect veered off into a side street and threw a dog from his window. The deputies said the dog hit the ground and managed to “scurry off the road.” The pursuit was called off for public safety concerns, the deputies said.

MAN CHARGED WITH ANIMAL CRUELTY AFTER TURTLE KILLED IN VIDEO

The suspect’s car was found abandoned in a wooded area about 8 miles from where he’d thrown the dog out of the window, the Modesto Bee reported. The suspect was later found at a nearby road and taken into custody, the report said.

GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Authorities uncovered what they suspect was methamphetamine, a smoking pipe, and paraphernalia for siphoning gasoline from the suspect’s car. Gregory faces multiple charges including felony evasion of a peace officer, cruelty to an animal, and driving without a license, The Bee reported.