Man fleeing police fired at officer’s car in Riverside County, authorities say
A man who was chased by police Tuesday night in Riverside County allegedly fired multiple rounds at the pursuing officer’s car, authorities said.
The bullets struck the police cruiser’s windshield and front end, but the officer driving was not injured, according to Corona police Sgt. Paul Mercado.
The chase ended in the city of Riverside, where police returned fire and later took the man into custody. It’s unclear if he was wounded by police gunfire.
In a statement, Riverside police confirmed that an “officer-involved shooting” occurred, but provided no additional details.
The violent pursuit resulted in the temporary closure of the eastbound 91 Freeway between Magnolia Avenue and Tyler Street. Sections of Van Buren Boulevard and Indiana Avenue were also closed around the city’s Arlington neighborhood.
The chase began just before 6 p.m. at Buchanan and Sampson avenues in unincorporated Riverside County, where a police officer tried to pull over a white Dodge van, Mercado said. The vehicle matched the description of a van involved in a Sept. 17 drive-by shooting into a Corona home.
The van’s driver failed to stop and police gave chase. During the pursuit, the driver at two different times fired rounds at the officer’s car, Mercado said.
The chase ended about 6:05 p.m. at Van Buren Boulevard and Indiana Avenue in Riverside, when the suspect hopped out and ran, Mercado said.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
Twitter: @MattHjourno.
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