Man Who Tried To Kill Watsonville Police Denied Parole, DA Says

WATSONVILLE, CA — The Santa Cruz County District Attorney's office announced Wednesday that Manuel Murillo was denied parole in connection with a 1999 incident in which he shot at two Watsonville police officers.

Murillo stole a truck at gunpoint May 5, 1999 in Monterey County, prosecutors wrote in a news release. He drank alcohol, ingested cocaine and picked up three strangers, prosecutors wrote.

A Watsonville police corporal saw his truck the next morning and approached it. Murillo fired shots at him, hitting him twice in the leg, just below his knee, prosecutors wrote. His tibia was shattered.

He sped down Main Street dangerously fast, driving the wrong way, and struck a Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office patrol car at one point, prosecutors wrote.

Murillo opened fire on another Watsonville officer before hitting a truck headed the opposite direction down Soquel Drive, near Cabrillo College, prosecutors wrote. The driver was seriously injured and suffered fractured bones.

The second officer was treated for injuries.

Murillo's car passengers were not struck by gunfire, but were bruised, cut and scraped, prosecutors wrote.

All in all, four law enforcement agencies were tasked with responding to the incident.

In prison, Murillo has seriously injured another inmate and caused a correctional officer to lose consciousness, prosecutors wrote.

Yukiko Orii, who attended Murillo's hearing before the California Board of Parole at the Salinas Valley State Prison, thanked the agencies who joined the DA's Office in objecting to his release.