Man crashes SUV after it’s riddled with bullets

A Sylmar man suffered a gunshot wound to his back early Monday after police said a shooter sprayed his SUV with bullets, causing him to crash and abandon his vehicle.

Police later found the man, who was identified as 30-year-old Mario Gamboa, was at Providence Saint Joseph’s Medical Center, where he was being treated for the single gunshot wound, Burbank Police Sgt. Darin Ryburn said.

Police have attempted to interview Gamboa to get more details about the events leading up to the crash, which happened about 1:35 a.m. in the area of Alameda Avenue and San Fernando Boulevard.

“We have to work backwards,” Ryburn said.

Police said they responded to the area after receiving numerous calls about gunfire.

They found Gamboa’s abandoned red SUV, which had major damage and multiple bullet holes along the passenger’s side.

He had apparently struck a guard rail and fence on an Alameda Avenue access road, just east of Flower Street, during the gunfire, police said.

Soon after, a friend picked up Gamboa from the crash scene and dropped him off at the hospital.

Gamboa was released from the hospital later that morning. However, he was taken into custody because he is a parolee-at-large, who also had a misdemeanor traffic warrant from Culver City, Ryburn said.

Anyone with information about the shooter or the crash is asked to call the Burbank Police Department’s Investigation Bureau at (818) 238-3210.
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