Police: Johnathan Gomez Of Texas Arrested After Holding Ambulance Crew At Gunpoint In Irwindale, Shooting At Vehicles On 210 Freeway
IRWINDALE (CBSLA) — A Texas man who allegedly held an ambulance crew at gunpoint and shot at cars on the 210 Freeway is in custody Friday after police chased him in a big rig.
Johnathan Gomez, 37, of El Paso, Tex. was eventually arrested after trying to run from his big rig at Peck Road at Wyland Way in Monrovia, Irwindale police said. After being medically cleared at a hospital, he was booked into West Covina city jail, where he is being held on $1 million bail.
According to police, officers responded to a report of an armed person holding two ambulance crew members at gunpoint in the 600 block of Live Oak Avenue in Irwindale at about 6:40 a.m. Wednesday. While officers were on the way, the crew told dispatchers that the gunman had taken off in a red 2015 Peterbilt semi-truck pulling an enclosed trailer, according to Irwindale police.
When officers tried to stop the semi, a short, slow-speed pursuit ensued. Police say the suspect committed several dangerous violations of the California vehicle code before eventually stopping in Monrovia, where he got out and tried to run off. The officers had to physically detain the driver and use a stun gun on him before he was eventually taken into custody, according to police.
A loaded handgun was found in Gomez's possession when he was arrested, police said.
Investigators determined Gomez was the same driver who had brandished and fired a gun in a number of incidents reported on the 210 Freeway between Rancho Cucamonga and Azusa. In one incident, the driver of a vehicle that was shot at was forced to run across the freeway, and in another, an occupied vehicle was hit with gunfire. No injuries were reported in any of these incidents.
Gomez faces charges of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, false imprisonment, resisting and evading arrest, DUI, and weapons violations. He is scheduled to appear in court Friday.