Police on manhunt for suspect who allegedly rammed patrol car with stolen big rig and fled as police shot at him

CARLOS GARCIA

Numerous law enforcement agencies in California are on a manhunt for a suspect who allegedly rammed a stolen big rig into a patrol car and ran off as police shot at him.

Police in the city of Ontario said they first confronted the driver when they noticed that the big rig had no license plates just after midnight Monday morning. After finding that the truck had been reported stolen from San Bernardino weeks earlier, police tried to pull over the big rig, but the driver refused and drove away, police said.

The suspect drove with police chasing the big rig through the 60 freeway and into the city of Riverside about 20 miles away. After pulling off the freeway, the suspect drove to a bike path next to the Santa Ana riverbed. When police followed, he allegedly rammed his truck into an officer’s car.

Ontario police spokesperson Officer Ermes Maqueira said that one of their officers was disabled and trapped after his car was rammed.

Officers opened fire on the suspect, but no one was reported injured.

The man was able to escape on foot and run into the dense brush of the Santa Ana riverbed, which is mostly dry.

Police said that the riverbed is also occupied by numerous homeless people, making the search more difficult. They are using K-9 dogs and helicopters with infrared cameras to aid in their search for the suspect. They asked hospitals in the area to report if anyone tries to seek treatment for gunshot wounds.

Police did not release a description of the suspect.

Here’s a local news report about the incident: