El Cajon

A man wanted on an outstanding felony warrant was shot Tuesday by an El Cajon police officer after the car in which the suspect was riding was pulled over for an expired registration.

Officers Benny Stafford and Harry Hicks and Sgt. Patrick Sprecco stopped the vehicle in the 100 block of Rea Street. The three people inside were taken from the car and were being frisked when one of the men fled, El Cajon police spokesman Jerry Earp said.

Earp said William Edward Yaple, 22, address unknown, ran into some bushes a short distance away and, after being ordered out of the bushes, threatened to shoot the officers. Yaple ran from the bushes, turned toward the officers with something in his hand, and was shot once in the left side by Sprecco, police said. Police would not say whether Yaple had a weapon.

Yaple was taken to Grossmont Community Hospital and later transferred to UC San Diego Medical Center, where he was released into police custody a short time later. He was booked into County Jail on suspicion of threatening a police officer, resisting and delaying a police officer, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of a controlled substance for sale, and on a felony warrant for a parole violation stemming from a robbery conviction. The other occupants of the car were questioned at the scene and released, Earp said.