Freed Inmate Held in O.C. Officer Shooting

In an incident that revived the controversy over early jail release, a man allegedly shot a police officer Friday morning during a thwarted vehicle burglary just two hours after he was set free, authorities said.

The suspect, who was arrested at the scene, was identified by La Habra police as Steven Ray Waller of Lakewood. He had been serving 10 days at Orange County Jail in Santa Ana for petty theft but was released three days early because of overcrowding, officials said.

“It took him two hours to get up here, get a gun and do the shooting,” La Habra Police Capt. John Rees said. “It’s amazing.”

Waller, 21, had been released at 2:30 a.m. Friday, Orange County sheriff’s officials said. At 4:30 a.m., La Habra police received a call alerting them that two men were trying to break into a pickup truck in the 1700 block of Lindauer Drive.

When Officer Michael Wissman arrived at the scene, both suspects fled on foot, taking different streets. Wissman pursued Waller and shots were exchanged, police said. Wissman was struck in the leg, and Waller was hit in the arm, hand and chest.

The second suspect, identified by police as Waller’s cousin Richard Michael Cales, 22, was not involved in the shooting. He was arrested by another La Habra officer who responded to the call. Police and residents said Cales lives in the neighborhood.

The officer and the wounded suspect were taken to UCI Medical Center in Orange, where Wissman, 31, was reported in good condition Friday night. Waller was in stable condition awaiting surgery, hospital officials said.

Orange County has been struggling for more than two decades with jail overcrowding that has forced early releases. Sheriff Brad Gates said Friday’s shooting dramatically demonstrates the need for the county to build more jail space.

“This should clearly underscore once again the need to solve the problem,” Gates said. “This incident could have cost a police officer his life. Tomorrow it could be a citizen who is seriously injured by a burglar who robs a store.”

Supervisor Charles V. Smith expressed a similar view. “It’s very unfortunate,” he said. “You can have all kinds of preventive crime programs. But the bottom line is that you have to get the bad guys off the streets to cut crime.”

Wissman is the second La Habra police officer shot in the line of duty in the past six months. Officer David Ross Smith was hit by fire from an assault rifle in an October incident in which a fugitive, Anthony Miccio, was mortally wounded. Smith, who was hospitalized with wounds to his shoulder, has recovered and returned to duty in February.

“It seems like everybody wants to go crazy shooting at cops,” said Jerry Frayo, a neighbor who witnessed the arrests of the two suspects Friday. “Shooting at a police officer over an auto burglary--it’s just nuts.”

In 1995, the Board of Supervisors approved plans to expand Theo Lacy Branch Jail in Orange, but the county lacks the money to build and operate the new wing.

The county is now studying a plan to expand James A. Musick Branch Jail in Irvine from a minimum-security honor farm with 1,000 inmates into a maximum-security facility capable of holding up to 8,000 inmates.

The county does not have the estimated $50 million to $80 million needed for that expansion either, and nearby residents strongly oppose the plan.

“The longer this situation continues without resolution and the longer we don’t have the jail beds that allow full sentences to be served, we will continue to have more of these tragedies,” Gates said of Friday’s incident.

About 90 inmates were released at the same time as Waller, officials said. His record shows six convictions in the past two years for misdemeanors including possession, manufacturing and selling dangerous weapons, receiving stolen property, drug possession and grand theft auto.

Waller faces charges of attempted murder and burglary in Wissman’s shooting, officials said.

The other suspect, Cales, who has a record for possessing a dangerous weapon, sexual battery and resisting arrest, faces the same charges. He was in custody Friday night at the La Habra Police Department.

Both men are to be arraigned Tuesday, police said.

Times staff writer Shelby Grad contributed to this story.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Out and Back

Steven Ray Waller, accused of shooting La Habra Police Officer Michael Wissman Friday, had just been released early from jail because of overcrowding. More on early releases and recidivism at Orange County Jail:

EARLY RELEASES

Daily: About 90

In February: 2,281

So far this year: 4,526

Last year: More than 31,000

****

REARRESTS *

This year: 70

Last year: 740

Since 1993: 3,269

* Before jail sentence would have expired

Source: Orange County Sheriff’s Department

Researched by KIMBERLY SANCHEZ / Los Angeles Times