Man shot and killed by Sheriff's deputy after highway pursuit

Special to the Valley News

Friday, April 17^th, 2009.
Issue 16, Volume 9.

TEMECULA - A Riverside County sheriff's deputy shot and killed a man who came at him in a speeding pickup truck following a highway pursuit, authorities said today.

The sequence of events leading to the shooting began around 5:50 p.m. yesterday when a white Ford F-150 pickup truck was spotted speeding. California Highway Patrol officers launched a pursuit and asked the Riverside Sheriff's Department for assistance, said Sgt. Dennis Gutierrez, a sheriff's spokesman.

The driver of the truck, which bore lost or stolen plates, drove to the Keyways Vineyard and Winery at 37338 De Portola Road, said Gutierrez.

He accelerated toward a sheriff's squad car near the entrance to the winery, prompting the deputy assigned to the cruiser to open fire, Gutierrez said.

"The deputy discharged his duty rifle, and an officer-involved shooting occurred," he said in a statement. The suspect, whose name was not immediately released, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The deputy involved is an eight-year veteran of law enforcement in California and has worked with the Riverside County Sheriff's Department for four years, Gutierrez said.

Four entities were investigating the shooting today, he said. They are the sheriff's Central Homicide Unit, the sheriff's Professional Standards Bureau, the Temecula Police Department, and the Riverside County District Attorney's Office.

Investigators asked anyone with information on the incident to call Riverside sheriff's Investigator Jason Corey at (951) 955-2777.

14 comments for "Man shot and killed by Sheriff's deputy after highway pursuit"

4:57 pm Fri, Apr 17^th, 2009

1. Dilligaf says :

I hope the cops ok.

6:37 pm Fri, Apr 17^th, 2009

2. victim of SFPD harrassment says :

Cops are always OK.

3:18 pm Sat, Apr 18^th, 2009

3. really? says :

riverside has a higher officer involved shooting rate than L.A.
why did the officer already have his riffle out?

3:19 pm Sat, Apr 18^th, 2009

4. Randy says :

Once the F150 entered the winery, there was only one way out.
The officer parked his vehicle, grabbed his rifle, and when he saw the F150 coming back down the dirt road, he murdered him.
The murdered man was a mother's son, maybe a father to children, probably a brother to another sibling.
At least the trigger happy officer saw some action.
God forbid they use the pit manuever.

2:02 pm Sun, Apr 19^th, 2009

5. Wild hogs says :

I fell he got what was coming, all he had to do was pull over. He is the one who made this a life and death sittuation, not the police. Did any one check his wallet. there may have been a work I D in there and there is a job available somewere.

3:03 pm Mon, Apr 20^th, 2009

6. Em says :

Randy Shooting another human being yes is unGodly But these Officers are out there to protect You & I, and when they run into these type of situations, who is there to protect them, YOU!! ME!! No They Are again.and In that very short time they make a dicission, what It all comes down to it. If they can Not protect themselves how can they protect US...

3:04 pm Mon, Apr 20^th, 2009

7. Chester says :

WOW when the article first came out he was a man now he is a PAROLEE. If the truth were to ever come out the officer grabbed his rifle cause he was pissed off and taught this parolee not to miss up in this here town! GO COWBOY. Hell he could have gotten out went to the ground face first and still got SHOT! least this way he was a moving target.

11:16 am Tue, Apr 21^st, 2009

8. creole says :

Chester go ride along with the police one time so you could see how things are done. Em I agree with you. I don't like the killing and hope the police have figured other ways to stop this pursuit but end up with no choice after the man decided to run over an officer.

10:57 am Mon, May 4^th, 2009

9. 7Red7 says :

This "parolee" broke into a Temecula family's trailer just before Christmas and stole everything in the trailer that wasn't tied down including the children's Christmas presents. Loaded it all into the stolen truck and hauled the items away. A month later he switched plates with another vehicle. He drove this truck around town like he owned it for 4 months. This was a bad guy! We are all safer because of the police action.

2:25 pm Tue, May 5^th, 2009

10. wordsmith says :

Since the witnesses said that the suspect collided with the sheriff's car BEFORE the shooting, the driver was probably injured, and possibly could have been apprehended without being shot to death. Eight shots seems crazy to me. The sheriff's here are the worst trained I have ever seen. Sound like the cop was scared to death and over-reacted, or he was ticked off because his cruiser was totaled. Since the sheriff's department seems to never disipline it's officers this will be the end of the matter; which I think is outrageous, because this officer needs further training. We pay these guys a lot of money (they make about $35 an hr [of our tax dollars - so we have a right to speak up]) and I would like to see them better trained. I wasn't there so I can't say more...just my opinion based on what I have read in the papers.

5:37 am Thu, May 28^th, 2009

11. SD says :

This was a man, good or bad, he just made bad decisions. He could have not endangered people's lives with a stolen vehicle (imagine yourself calling all your family members to let them know your daughter/mother/father/grandmother was killed by someone who sacrificed your loved ones' life just to avoid a little jail time that he rightfully earned). He also should have given up after seeing he unwisely turned into a dead end. The excuse could be made that he was simply trying to exit said establishment's parking lot and continue on his reckless joyride to further endanger other innocents, however, since the officer happened to be occupying said path, he forced the officer's hand instead. Some people advocate letting a pitbull rip you to shreds rather than shooting an animal. I find it to be unwise, but that is their right. My deepest condolences to any family and friends the man left behind.

4:01 pm Tue, Jun 2^nd, 2009

12. Smart1 says :

Why don't stupid people realize run=death. Maybe if the cops starting doing this more, people will think twice about running. Stupid is as stupid does and stupid usually loses.

9:36 pm Thu, Jul 2^nd, 2009

13. John m petersen says :

Tim mccall was shot and murdered. I grew up with tim and he may have had a drug problem was a good person and not aggressive. I know!!! I rest with the knowledge of knowing that officer will stand before god and be jugded!!!!
I know then truely justice will be served!!!!!

5:09 pm Fri, Jul 3^rd, 2009

14. John m p says :

Wanted to reply to smart 1 response.... You call yourself smart1 then make an ignorant statement! You know nothing about the victim (tim) and actually think that running from the police especially in a remote location justifies killing a father of two and leaves behind his wife and family. If the authorities wanted to stop tim they could have thrown the sheet of metal spikes to pop the tires or until he runs out of gas. He had no weapon and did not want to go back to jail. If you read the report it states that the authorities radiod ahead and happened to have that deputy in place on that dirt road off of el portola and waited for tim to drive up using a high powered rifle/scope and killed him. If you actually think thats justifiable you should seek therapy

Man shot and killed by Sheriff's deputy after highway pursuit

14 comments for "Man shot and killed by Sheriff's deputy after highway pursuit"

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