Man Shot In Head While Driving In Watsonville; Child In Back Seat Uninjured

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA – A 21-year-old man was shot in the head while behind the wheel of a car in front of his child Monday morning in Watsonville, police said.

Authorities are looking for the suspect and suspect vehicle in the shooting, which left the victim with a life-threatening injury, according to police.

Shortly before 11 a.m., an officer was in his patrol car at East Front and Union streets, where he heard a "pop" noise from the Pajaro Bridge area, police said.

The officer drove to East Front Street to find out where the noise came from and saw a white car pull in from Main Street with a shattered window and driver bleeding from the head, according to police.

The officer called for emergency medical crews to the scene and gave aid to the victim, who was later airlifted to a trauma center for treatment, police said.

The man's child was in the back seat and not injured, according to police.

Family members were called to the scene and took care of the child, police said.

An investigation showed the man stopped in traffic on northbound Main Street toward East Front Street, where the suspect drove to his right and fired one shot before fleeing the scene, according to police.

The suspect vehicle was described as a black, early 1990s vehicle, possibly a Honda, with no tinted windows, police said.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call police at (831) 768-3389 or use the anonymous crime tip line at (831) 768-3354.

Also see: $10K Reward Offered In Shooting Deaths Of Sea Otters Along Coast

--Bay City News/file photo