The incident began when officers responded to a domestic violence call in Huntington Beach at about 12:15 a.m., said Officer Jennifer Marlatt with the Huntington Beach Police Department. The officer didn’t know he had been hit until he pulled over during the chase.
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Both officers returned fire, one from the driver’s seat of his moving patrol auto, Marlatt said.
Officers attempted to contact a man involved in the incident when he got into a vehicle and sped off, Marlatt said. He was in good condition, Marlatt said.
For “reasons that are still under investigation”, the man drove off the Cleghorn Road offramp on the northbound 15 Freeway, said CHP Officer Steve Carapia. The vehicle was consumed by the fire, and the man died.
A Huntington Beach Police Department badge is seen in this file photo.
The pursuit continued some 70 miles through three counties to Cajon Pass where the suspect’s auto flew off northbound Interstate 15, crashed and burned. “He was also wearing his protective vest”, Marlatt said.
“The pursuit reached high speeds and, at one point, we lost sight of the driver”, Marlatt said.
A bullet ricocheted off the police badge worn by one of the officers, who was treated at a hospital and released Friday morning.
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The Orange County Sheriff’s Department is handling the investigation into the shooting and The California Highway Patrol is handling the pursuit investigation, which spans approximately 70 miles, Marlatt said. Bushard was closed between Indianapolis Avenue and Garfield Avenue, police said.
