Deputy Rammed By SUV, Officer Opens Fire In Hayward

HAYWARD, CA — The simple task of running radar nearly turned deadly Thursday morning when an Alameda County Sheriff's Deputy was rammed by a suspect in a stolen SUV, who then tried to run over the deputy. The law officer fired his gun at the suspect several times before he sped off. It's unknown if the suspect was hit. The suspect has not been captured.

The deputy was on his Harley Davidson motorcycle doing radar speed enforcement in the area of Hathaway Avenue near West A Street and Interstate Highway 880 at about 9:40 a.m. when he noticed a dark-colored 2003 GMC Yukon SUV speeding, Sgt. Ray Kelly said.

The vehicle was occupied by a sole male driver, described as a man in his 20s.

The deputy tried to pull over the Yukon. The driver slowed and turned down a side street and eventually turned onto nearby Arbor Avenue, where he stopped about mid-block, Kelly said.

The motorcycle deputy was stopped, sitting on his motorcycle, when the suspect put his vehicle in reverse and rammed him, according to Kelly. The deputy and his motorcycle were stuck to the rear bumper of the SUV as the suspect dragged them backwards in an attempt to run over the deputy, Kelly alleged. However, the deputy was able to get off of his motorcycle and avoid being crushed and run over.

After dragging the motorcycle backward, the suspect was able to disconnect his bumper from the attached motorcycle, according to Kelly. Instead of continuing to escape in reverse, the suspect put the SUV back in drive and drove at the deputy in a second attempt to run him over, Kelly said.

The deputy was able to draw his gun and shoot several rounds into the windshield of the SUV in an attempt to save his own life, according to Kelly. But the suspect was able to flee in the SUV.

A few blocks away, on Royal Avenue, the suspect jumped out of the SUV and fled on foot into the surrounding area. Deputies located the vehicle and established a large perimeter that was searched by deputies, officers from the Hayward Police Department and the California Highway Patrol, some of them using helicopters, drones and search dogs. Schools in the area were put on lockdown.

But after an extensive three-and-a-half hour search, officers were unable to locate the suspect and the perimeter was lifted.

Kelly said there was no obvious sign of blood in the abandoned SUV.

The deputy suffered relatively minor injuries and was treated and released at a local hospital. The deputy will be on routine paid administrative leave while the shooting is investigated.

If you have any information about the incident, call the sheriff's office at (510) 667-7721.

— Bay City News contributed to this report; Image via ACSO; Map via Google Maps