Suspect Killed After Fleeing from Police
CERES – A man who pulled a weapon on police and highway patrol officers died during the confrontation, but whether he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound or from the officers’ gunfire is unknown.
Incident occurred Highway 99 Ceres
At approximately 12:18 a.m. on Wednesday, a Ceres police officer “conducted a traffic stop on a White Chevy truck that lasted several minutes. It began normally, but towards the end of the traffic stop the officer informed the driver that he was going to tow the vehicle. It was at that point that the driver started his vehicle and fled the scene,” said Ceres Lt. Brent Smith.
The unidentified suspect drove through a chain link fence separating the frontage road from Highway 99 and drove northbound on the freeway for a short time before turning around and heading southbound.
Merced County Sheriff Mark Pazin said the suspect led the Ceres Police Department and a California Highway Patrol car at a high rate of speed southbound on Hwy 99. The suspect then took an on-ramp “and used it as an off-ramp and this was when he got into a wreck,” Pazin said.
The suspect “exited the vehicle with a long gun, pointed it at the officers, at which time – fearing for their safety and their own lives – they discharged their weapons,” Pazin said.
It is unknown whether one of the officers’ bullets hit the suspect.
Pazin said it is “also possible this individual took his own life by putting the gun to his head.”
Once an autopsy is performed, officials will have a better idea what happened. None of the officers involved in the incident were hurt, nor were any passersby.
Pazin said “it’s a true testament to the good work that these officers did” that no one else was injured.
At this time, officials do now know the reason for the initial traffic stop or why the suspect chose to flee. The name, age and ethnicity of the suspect are also unknown.
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