Police Wound Driver After Brief Chase

A police officer shot and wounded a 25-year-old man who had tried to run over the officer and a partner with a car early Saturday, authorities said.

Dinh The Nguyen, of Garden Grove, was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer, evading a peace officer and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Police said Nguyen had been driving a car erratically with the headlights off about 2 a.m. That attracted the attention of Sgt. Scott Watson, who was patrolling a residential area near Lampson Avenue and 9th Street.

Watson tried to pull Nguyen’s auto over but the driver fled in his car, Sgt. Joe Johnson said. A second officer in a patrol car joined the pursuit, and Nguyen led both into a cul-de-sac, he said. Police gave the following account:

When Nguyen pulled into the driveway of a home in the 11500 block of Dorada Avenue, officers blocked the exit with their patrol cars and got out to approach him. Nguyen then tried to escape, driving over a lawn between two trees and attempting to ram the officers.

The second officer--whose name was not released--fired one shot at Nguyen, grazing him in the lower arm.

Nguyen was treated and released from Garden Grove Hospital and Medical Center, Johnson said.

A car, when used in such a way, may be considered a weapon, Johnson said, and department policy allows police officers to fire at a suspect if lives are at risk.

Nguyen was being held Saturday at Orange County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail. He is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday at West Orange County Municipal Court.

Investigators from the district attorney’s office are looking into the shooting, which is routine in officer-involved shootings in the county.