A motorist driving recklessly near Howe Avenue and Delma Way at 1:30 a.m. today led officers on a wild chase that ended with him trying to ram his car into several Sacramento sheriffs' deputies before he was shot and injured, a police spokesman said.
Sacramento Police spokesman Sgt. Andrew Pettit said the man was driving a 2001 four-door Nissan when he refused several commands by authorities to stop, including a pursuit immobilization technique.
Later in the day, CHP officials identified the driver as Bill Stevens, 51, of Sacramento.
The chase, which lasted about 15 minutes, reached speeds of up to 50 mph.
Before it was over, the chase involved the Sheriff's Department and a county park ranger as well as the CHP. The Sacramento Police Department was called to assist with a K-9 unit, Pettit said. At least two parked cars were clipped by the fleeing suspect's car, police said.
In the final pursuit immobilization technique, commonly referred to as a "PIT," a CHP officer used his car in an effort to push the Nissan off its course. The car spun out and finally was stopped, but the officer's car veered off the roadway and hit a tree in front of a home near Bowling Green Drive and Ethan Way, Pettit said. The officer's airbag deployed.
The officer, whose identity was not released, was taken to an area hospital with what were described as non-lethal injuries. The suspect, who was not immediately identified, was taken to a hospital with multiple gunshot wounds believed to not be life-threatening. He also was to be tested for drug or alcohol intoxication.
Pettit said when the Nissan finally stopped after the final PIT maneuver, Sheriff's Deputies surrounded his vehicle and tried to arrest him. But the driver accelerated the car toward four deputies, who had to jump out of the way to avoid being hit, Pettit said.
The spokesman said four deputies, in fear for their lives, fired rounds at the suspect.
The man continued eastbound on Bowling Green where it comes to an end east of Ethan. His car then stalled, and deputies tried again to take him into custody. He resisted and authorities used a Taser device to subdue him and place him under arrest, Pettit said.
He is being held in a local hospital for investigation of felony evading arrest and for assault, Pettit said.
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