Police Shoot Man Accused Of Driving Toward 2 Officers, 1 Civilian

LIVERMORE, CA — The Livermore Police Department says it is investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred early Wednesday morning after police fired at a driver who is accused of trying to run over two officers and a civilian.

Driver Matthew David Kelly, 38, was shot in the thigh and hospitalized, police say. He was arrested on suspicion of felonies related to assault with a deadly weapon and assault with a deadly weapon against a peace officer. His injuries don't seem to be life-threatening, police say.

Two officers pulled over a different car near Airway Boulevard and the eastbound I-580 off-ramp around 3:25 a.m., police said in a press release. Police believed the driver may have been intoxicated and directed the person out of the car and onto a side road, away from oncoming traffic.

Minutes later the driver and officers heard tires screeching and saw another car accelerating in their direction, police say. The car, which contained only the driver, continued toward the officers and DUI suspect, according to the press release.

"Based on the vehicle's path of travel, it appeared the driver made a deliberate and overt turn onto the remote access road, and accelerated quickly from Airway Boulevard," police said in the press release.

The officers and person moved out of the way and police fired, calling for more help over the radio. Kelly drove to the end of the road, pulled a U-turn and stalled, police say.

He tried multiple times to restart his car and eventually drove back near the officers and person, police say. Officers believe he was trying to flee the scene, but his car stalled and became stuck at the road's entrance.

More officers arrived and took Kelly into custody. Nobody else was injured.

The freeway was closed around 4 a.m. for police activity before being reopened around 40 minutes later, per the California Highway Patrol.

Both officers are on administrative leave as the investigation continues. The Livermore Police Investigations Unit and Alameda County District Attorney's Office are still conducting interviews, and gathering and analyzing evidence, police say.

Kelly has connections to Newark, Fremont, Union City and Idaho, police say.

Bay City News Service and Patch Editor Autumn Johnson contributed to this report.