Officer shoots suspect on California freeway after attempted carjacking during police chase
LATHROP - A Lathrop Police Department officer shot a domestic violence suspect they were in pursuit of, leading to all southbound Interstate 5 lanes to shut down Saturday afternoon, authorities said.
Around 12:35 p.m., officers were chasing a man they said was wanted for domestic violence and was driving a Nissan sedan. The suspect drove south on I-5 from Roth Road until his vehicle became disabled on the right shoulder of the interstate, south of Lathrop Road.
At about 12:37 p.m., officers said the suspect tried to carjack a vehicle on southbound I-5. This is when the CHP said an officer shot the suspect.
The suspect was taken to the hospital and is expected to survive, the CHP said. Officers did not say if the suspect was armed in a news release Saturday night.
It is unknown how many shots were fired.
"They have different equipment that is able to diagram and scan the scene and all the evidence therein and then they can sort of recreate the scene ... in case charges are being filed down the line," CHP Officer Ruben Jones said.
Southbound I-5 was closed for several hours. It reopened around 8:30 p.m.
No civilians or officers were injured in the incident. Lathrop police have identified the suspect as 40-year-old Manteca resident Juan Valdez.
Police said Valdez is expected to survive.
The CHP Investigative Services Unit is handling the investigation.
Lathrop is about 11 miles south of Stockton and nearly 60 miles south of Sacramento.
