Fountain Valley police shoot and wound motorist they say tried to run down officers

Fountain Valley police shot and wounded a motorist who authorities said drove his vehicle at officers investigating a fatal traffic collision Saturday morning.

The incident occurred about 5:15 a.m. while officers were investigating the vehicle crash at Magnolia Street and Mint Avenue, according to a statement from the Fountain Valley Police Department.

The driver of a black Dodge pickup drove at the officers and through the collision scene, police said. He then turned around and drove at the officers a second time, and that’s when police shot at the man, authorities said.

The suspect fled but was stopped by officers at Bushard Street in Westminster, just south of Edinger Avenue, where he was arrested, police said. He was taken to a hospital to be treated for injuries that did not appear to be life-threatening, authorities said.

No officers were injured in the confrontation.

No other information was available about what prompted the driver’s actions.

Officers were originally called to the scene around midnight when the driver of a Lexus jumped a median and crashed into a Toyota sedan, killing one woman.

One nearby resident told KTLA that he heard both the crash and the police shooting from his home.

“A little bit before midnight there was a horrible car accident right here. They were still assessing the situation and seeing what happened,” Johnny Carr said. “I tried to go back to bed and around 5 a.m. I’m woken up by screeching tires and gunshots.”

Video from the scene showed several bullet holes through the front windshield of the truck, which remained at the scene past 10 a.m.

Personnel from the Fountain Valley Police Department, Westminster Police Department and Orange County district attorney’s office are involved in the investigation.

Lozano writes for the Los Angeles Times.