California deputy shoots at wrong-way driver from helicopter

A pursuit suspect died in a San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputy-involved shooting, authorities said Friday.

Deputy Deon Filer says deputies began pursuing a carjacking suspect from the Fontana area at around noon Friday.

The gray Chevrolet Yukon reached speeds of 100 miles per hour as it raced along streets and traveled southbound in the northbound lanes of Interstate 215 into San Bernardino, sideswiping a vehicle , authorities said. He then bailed out of the moving vehicle, which then crashed head-on into a blue Dodge Durango.

The three passengers in the vehicle his auto hit were taken to the hospital and their condition remains unknown.

The fleeing driver, meanwhile, continued along the freeway until he collapsed a short distance away near an overpass.

The wrong-way driving prompted a deputy to open fire on the SUV from a helicopter. The two SUVs at the scene had severe front-end damage.

According to Public Information Officer Olivia Bozek, “the pursuit went though Fontana, San Bernardino, and onto the 215 freeway”.

Police started diverting traffic off of the North 215 at Palm Avenue.

Northbound lanes were shut down due to police activity about 1:40 p.m., and a SigAlert was issued, according to the California Highway Patrol incident log.

Caltrans District 8 ‏tweeted the following, “NB 215 to Devore is closed until further notice – All Routes to the High Desert will be heavily congested through the evening commute”. Authorities would not confirm whether those shots killed the suspect, or whether the suspect died from other injuries.