Officer Shoots at Driver of Stolen Car

A motorcycle officer fired a round at a driver who twice tried to run the officer down with a stolen car Sunday afternoon, Los Angeles police said.

There were no injuries in the 1:10 p.m. incident, but the Sepulveda Boulevard on-ramp to the San Diego Freeway in Sherman Oaks was closed for several hours while officers investigated.

Officer Rodney Manning, 39, clocked a car traveling west on Sunset Boulevard, near Bellagio Road, at 52 m.p.h. in a 35-m.p.h. zone and followed the driver as he pulled into a driveway, Officer Mike Schwehr said.

“Officer Manning stopped and was getting off his motorcycle when the suspect backed up and drove south toward the officer, who had to jump out of the way to avoid being hit,” Schwehr said. The driver continued north to the Sepulveda Boulevard on-ramp to the San Diego Freeway “then suddenly made a U-turn back toward Officer Manning, who was entering the on-ramp,” he said.

The officer drew his 9-millimeter pistol, fired once, but missed. The car, which had been reported stolen, was later found abandoned in the 15000 block of Ventura Boulevard in Van Nuys.