A 37-year-old Janesville man is under arrest, accused of fleeing a traffic stop in the vehicle where he was a passenger.

According to a news release, Janesville Police stopped a vehicle driven by 37-year-old Catherine Waite at the intersection of Tripp Road and Kellie Court just after 12:30 Thursday morning.

When the officer asked Waite to step out of the vehicle, her passenger, 37-year-old Shannon Patterson is accused of sliding into the driver’s seat and taking off at a high rate of speed.

Patterson was taken into custody in a field just northwest of South Hayner and Rockport Roads following a short foot chase, after he crashed the vehicle into a ditch.

Tentative charges include fleeing, resisting, possession of drug paraphernalia, operating after revocation, and reckless driving.