Is it a felony to evade the police?

This answer will differ by jurisdiction. In California, Vehicle Code Section 2800 describes the penalties for attempting to evade police when they are in uniform and operating a marked police vehicle. If the defendant's conduct during the pursuit demonstrated willful and wanton disregard for the safety of the public, they can be charged with a felony punishable by imprisonment in the state prison. In California, fleeing from the police on foot is generally a violation of Penal Code Section 148(a)(1), a misdemeanor punishable only by county jail time, a fine, or both.