Updated at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 11, 2012
Arturo Serrato of Chula Vista—a parolee thought to be under the influence of methamphetamines—brought traffic to a halt Tuesday in parts of Spring Valley and La Presa after a traffic stop led to an officer-involved shooting.
The shooting at Jamacha Road and Sacramento Avenue was reported shortly after noon, according to the CHP.
The Highway Patrol closed traffic lanes in the area and searched by ground and air for a suspect with help from deputies, said sheriff's Lt. Dave Brown.
At 12:30 p.m., personnel had surrounded a Sacramento Avenue home where they thought the man might have holed up, the lieutenant said.
A short time later, officers had a suspect in custody, CHP public-affairs Officer Larry Landeros said.
The man later identified as Serrato, was taken to Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
Serrato apparently had failed to yield to the CHP officer just prior to gunfire, Landeros said.
According to sheriff's Lt. Glenn Giannantonio, Serrato’s Chevrolet Impala was pulled over for having no front license plate. When the CHP officer switched on his safety lights, Serrato, 28, sped away.
The officer pursued until the vehicle slowed to a stop in front of 936 Sacramento Ave. in Spring Valley.
At that point, the driver looked back at the officer and drove around again, Giannantonio said. The driver drove around the block in a big circle and came to a stop in front of 936 Sacramento Ave. again.
Serrato left the car without putting it in park, and the car crashed into another parked vehicle, Giannantonio said. He attempted to flee and the officer saw a black, semi-automatic handgun in the driver’s hand.
The driver ran toward the residence, the lieutenant said.
At that point, fearing for his safety and for the safety of the people in the residence, the officer drew his service pistol and fired, hitting the suspect in the left shoulder, Giannantonio.
The suspect then dove through the front window and into the house, according to Giannantonio.
After the officer radioed for assistance, additional CHP officers and Sheriff’s deputies arrived and the suspect was ordered to come out of the residence via the PA system in the ASTREA helicopter.
He eventually did and was taken into custody.
Several schools in the immediate area were put on lockdown into the
early afternoon due to the incident.
Giannantonio said that two other people who had fled from the house were detained in a nearby alleyway. The owner of the house was located in a trailer in the back of the home and was detained for questioning, as was another woman, who was found inside the house.
Two of those four other detainees were found to have felony warrants, and they were also taken into custody. One of the detainees was identified as the girlfriend of Serrato, but no other relationships could be established.
Giannantonio said that only the officer discharged his weapon, and that multiple shots were fired, though the exact number is unknown.
He said that the suspect did not fire his weapon.
After everyone was detained, the sheriff’s special enforcement detail conducted a sweep, and no one else was found in the residence, authorities said.
More than 20 CHP and sheriff's vehicles were on the scene, and a section of Sacramento Avenue, between Jamacha Road and Piedmont Street, was closed down. The homicide unit of the San Diego County Sheriff's Department also was on the scene investigating the incident.
Giannantonio confirmed that no officers were injured.
—City News Service contributed to this story.
