Driver In Police Chase Shot Before Crash, Dies From Injury

FAIRFIELD, CA – A female passenger in a vehicle, who appeared to be in distress and yelled to an officer for help, led to a brief police chase after the driver took off, crashed in an intersection and subsequently was found to have suffered a gunshot wound -- a fatal shot reportedly fired by the 24-year-old woman during the Thursday afternoon incident in Fairfield, authorities said.

The motorist, a 22-year-old man from Fairfield, not yet identified pending notification of kin, died from his injuries after being taken by ambulance to a nearby trauma center, the Fairfield Police Department said.

The woman, also from Fairfield, was in the the car along with a 10-month-old child, who was not injured, police said. She was in a live-in relationship with the male, and her identity was withheld as the incident appears to be a domestic-violence situation, the agency said, adding that a gun reportedly was found in the car.

Officers at about 2:34 p.m. tried stopping the car after the woman inside called out for help to a nearby officer, the department said. The man behind the wheel did not stop, however, and a short pursuit ensued that quickly ended when the vehicle crashed into other cars at the intersection of Dover Avenue and East Travis Boulevard, according to officials.

"Officers quickly discovered the driver of the suspect car had suffered from an apparent gunshot," police said, adding that, "No officers discharged their firearms during this incident."

Officers provided immediate medical aid to the driver, who was taken by ambulance to a local trauma center for his injuries where he later was pronounced deceased, police said.

Several other cars and drivers were involved in the intersection crash with the fleeing car, but police did not have solid details, as of yet, on their possible injuries.

The intersection of East Travis and Dover was expected to remain closed for several hours during the investigation, evidence collection and documentation of the scene, the department said.

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--Image via Renee Schiavone