Escaped Inmate Shot And Killed After Wild Chase Near Lodi
LODI (CBS13) - An escaped inmate was shot and killed and a woman was sent to the hospital after a dangerous high-speed chase ended in gunfire near Lodi.
The California Highway Patrol says officers tried to pull over a car on Interstate 5 in Stockton just after midnight Monday that had been reported stolen.
Instead of stopping, the driver took off, leading a high-speed chase.
"The pursuit was extremely dangerous. From my understanding, they had to call it off more than once. They picked it up again. He threatened the officers," said San Joaquin County spokesperson Deputy Les Garcia.
Dixie Ray thought she was hearing fireworks, but quickly realized the sound was police gunfire.
"It was just pow, pow, pow, pow," she said. "I'm not used to hearing gunshots. I really didn't know that's what it was. I guestimated 10-15, but looking at the car I think it was more than that. My husband thought it might be closer to 30."
Investigators aren't releasing how many bullets hit and killed the fugitive behind the wheel of the stolen car, who they say led law enforcement on a dangerous chase.
"It wasn't really high speed, it was just the wildness of the driver, going the wrong way on the freeway," CHP Officer Angel Arceo said.
The wrong-way driver ended up exiting Highway 99 on Woodbridge Road. After officers rammed the back of the car to end the chase, they say the escapee put the car in reverse and tried running over officers.
CHP and Stockton Police officers opened fire.
"Everything happens in a split second. Officers have to do their job, make a split-second decision. In this case, it was either get run over or defend themselves and shoot," Arceo said. "It's never easy when we have to take someone's life."
The woman riding in the car was flown to the hospital; investigators haven't confirmed if she's pregnant.
The man's body and the bullet-riddled car remained on scene for more than 12 hours after the shooting.
Investigators say the driver escaped from the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Honor Farm two weeks ago.
"There is area where there is a gate that they can walk in and out of," Garcia said.
"Maybe his mentality was 'I'm not going back,' we don't know," Arceo said. "We do know he was in jail for stealing vehicles."
The suspect's name was not immediately released.
