304 - High Octane

Original Airdate: 6-Oct-1979

Plot: While Ponch and Jon resolve a confrontation at a gas station, Grossie and Getraer come across an accident caused by an oil truck. The unsuspecting oil truck drivers think Getraer is after them because they stole the oil. They let out the oil on the highway and Getraer skids on it and falls over in the flaming oil. After the theme, Ponch and Jon find Grossie near Getraer's burned motorcycle. Getraer is put in an ambulance and taken to the hospital. Just after Grossie describes the NET-OIL truck, we see the thieves removing the sign from it. After visiting Getraer in the hospital, Ponch and Jon chase a car that stole a gas station's gas. Turning a corner, Jon flies off his motorcycle. Luckily he's fine and Ponch catches the driver of the car. That night, Ponch dates a girl who works at a gas station and finds out when the line starts to form. Across town, the thieves are sucking up gas when the station owner arrives. They drive off trailing gas behind. The next day, Ponch and Jon are out looking for a gas truck with a missing mud guard. When they pull over for a rest, they see a car that's swerving and hitting other cars. They get the driver out when he drives up a hill. He was transporting gas inside with him and got woosy. Just as they get him out, the car explodes. After the briefing, Ponch is the referee for a roller hockey match between Central and West L.A. CHP sponsored kids. Ponch calls high-sticking on Central and they lose 4 to 5. After Ponch and Jon fuel up in the early morning, they go on patrol and then return to Central to do reports. Meanwhile, the gas suckers are at it again. Sindy is staking out the suspicious gas station and calls in Ponch and Jon to catch the truck while she handles the station. Ponch and Jon chase the truck and it ends up crashing into a newly painted house and explodes in one of "CHiPs"'s greatest explosions. After putting the thieves away, it's the Central CHP vs the West CHP officers in roller hockey. We never find out who won, but the last we see, Central is ahead 3 to 2.

Briefing: Gas thieves [Given by Sgt. Chapman]
Great Quote: "Oh, I can dig it." -Grossie to Ponch when he realizes Ponch has a date

Guest Stars: Paul Hampton (as Gary Bennett), Mark Slade (as Slim), Ellen Bry (as Beth), Aldo Ray (as Karl Beasley), William Watson (as Sgt. Chapman), Sidney Clute (as Steve Barr), Stephanie Faulkner (as Lady Doctor), Frank Arno (as Angry Man), Alyscia Maxwell (as Second Motorist), Paul Keith (as Citizen)
Written by: James Schmerer
Directed by: John Florea

Fun Fact:

• After Jon buys lemonade from the kid with the wagon, watch his hands. He first pats the unknown woman on the back and then plays with someone's hood ornament.
• Sindy is in this 3rd season episode...not Bonnie.

Mistakes:

• During the final tanker truck chase when the pipe is loose and gas is spilling all over the road, the gas can be seen in all the camera shots except for the ones where we see the view from the tanker.
• When the tanker crashes into the house, the tank doesn't explode...the house does. The truck most likely runs on diesel...which only burns under pressure. Therefore the truck cab couldn't have caused the explosion. The tank (with the leak of (most likely) unleaded gasoline) should have been what exploded.

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