Man fleeing six-car Laguna Beach collision shot by police, officials say

A driver involved in a six-car, high-speed traffic collision this morning in Laguna Beach is in critical condition after being shot by police as he tried to flee the scene, authorities said.

Police and firefighters were responding to a high-speed collision at South Coast Highway and Saint Anns Drive about 7:55 a.m. when a man in his mid-20s tried to drive off in a heavily damaged black Mitsubishi four-door, said Laguna Beach Police Lt. Jason Kravetz.

Officers opened fire on the driver in the 200 block of Saint Anns, northeast of the intersection, firing multiple shots. After the incident, he was taken to Mission Hospital. Two others in the collision were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.

Kravetz said he did not know what prompted officers to shoot, and he did not release the man's identity.

The Orange County Sheriff's Department received calls before the accident about the man driving on the wrong side of the road and blowing through stoplights as he traveled north from Dana Point on South Coast Highway, Kravetz said.

The Orange County district attorney's office is investigating, a standard procedure in officer-involved shootings.

--Tony Barboza

Photo: Emergency personnel work on a suspect who was shot by Laguna Beach police as he allegedly tried to flee the scene of a six-car collision near Pacific Coast Highway and St. Anns Drive. Credit: Don Leach / Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot

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Comments

[Robert NO longer in LA]

Oh GOODY! Under the Dem's Laws (ha!) this guy's RIGHTS will be found VIOLATED, and he'll be awarded $200 million for wrongful pain and suffering.

[Kevin]

"The Orange County Sheriff's Department received calls before the accident about the man driving on the wrong side of the road and blowing through stoplights as he traveled north from Dana Point on South Coast Highway, Kravetz said."

The man was obviously a threat to the public, and was going to continue his reckless rampage until he caused more collisions and hurt or killed innocent people. Assuming the facts are right - good job police!

[KK]

Good thing no one is killed by this lunatic. He could have murdered scores of people. Cops did the right thing this time. Good job.

[retired guy]

The way all pursuits should end !!

[John]

OK, so I wasn't at the scene, but doesn't this seem a little harsh? Aren't there other means of stopping people in heavily damaged cars other than shooting them? What happened to due process? Judge, jury, and executioner is what the cop decided to be, it seems to me. But again, it's hard to say if one didn't see what happened for themselves. Either way, the cops in Laguna, actually from Newport all the way through San Clemente, are generally neo-Nazi in behavior so it's hardly a surprise.

[LATimes94306]

The officers shot the suspect because he had already endangered the lives of many by driving on the wrong side of the road. He was most likely prepared to do it again. Thank you officers, you protected countless people from a crazed idiot. Throw the book at him!

[jt]

I agree except for the fact that he's not dead.

[Schigolch]

They had to shoot him because, based on his driving and its results, he was an immediate grave threat to public safety.

[tew]

"retired guy".,

Quick. You're a cop on the scene. You see the destruction and injuries. All you know is that your department has "received calls before the accident about the man driving on the wrong side of the road and blowing through stoplights".

What do you do? Quick now. You've got a few seconds to decide whether to fire at the man to stop him from driving away, or hop back into you car and pursue him. Based on your observations and knowledge of how he was driving, it seems likely the man will drive erratically and cause another major accident, perhaps killing many people including himself. Woops, sorry, out of time. You're standing there contemplating. He's already taken a left down a residential street and is out of sight.

[calibadger]

Too Harsh? Not harsh enough. Criminals like this endanger too many other people. He caused a six car accident after blowing through red lights and driving on the wrong side of the road. He then tried to flee the accident he caused. When authorities say "stop", they mean for the order to be obeyed. The only sad thing is that he lived and now will have to pay for a trial and jail for him.

[lonestar]

gee, John, how else is an officer supposed to stop a 4000lb moving vehicle hurtling towards them? Ask it nicely to stop or give it a cookie? Good shoot on the cops part.

[parker]

Ok John' what were the police suppose to do wait until he killed someone. They did what they had to do end of story.

[Joe Poe]

Laguna, Newport and San Clemente have very low crime rates.

[Devils Advocate]

Those cops are cowards, I agree with John.
How far was he going to go with a damaged car?
Do your job and drag him out of the car!!!

Cops today are too jumpy and authoritative. Remember it might be you one day starring down the barrel of a jumpy cop. Reaching for your license in your glove box can get you killed.

[Evensteven]

I never take the time to write my opinion on these stories BUT RETIRED GUY you either have a sick and twisted grasp on reality or your just one stoooopid SOB. I wonder what your liberal slant and moral compass would so if you or your mom were one of his victims??

What due process did the police owe a guy who attempted to kill or maim every person crossing an intersection that was green for them and red for the suspect?

Did you fail to read the part of the story where there were several radio calls about this guy blowing red's and driving on the wrong side of the road? The innocent usually don't flee and this was no accident. When you drive through red lights in a 4,000 pound vehicle on the wrong side of the road you are intending to kill yourself and someone else.

This could have been a case of suicide by cop and let's hope it pans out that way. Otherwise one of your liberal judges might let him walk so he can hit 12 people next time-maybe you!

As a son, brother, husband and member of society I would have made the decision to end this guy's killing spree before he hurt or killed anyone else.

Bravo to the O.C. Sheriff's Dept.

[Bro Jeofo]

I seems the cops will react strongly if a car is involved in a hit and run with another car. But, as we have seen in the news multiple times these last few months - If a cyclist is a victim of a hit and run the cops could care less.

[Angry Tax Payer]

Not harsh at all. Take 2 seconds to think about it. the car is a deadly weapon. People always seem to forget this. All they did was respond with reasonable force.

[Waytogo]

Ok John, so you have all the answers, huh? Lucky for you, you or one of your family members were not involved/injured by this crazy "criminal!" I agree with the other commentors here, how many innocent "law abiding" citizens need to be subjected to these thugs. If the police had let this go on there might not be any "living" witnesses to testify, how about that John? People like you like in glass houses-thank god for our police. Enough of the political correctness when these valiant public servants have to make split second decisions to save and protect lives. We should see more of this and many writing here agree!

[MarK]

the police had multiple chances of taking the lead and blocking him in and they let him go. pursuits need to be stopped asap. shoot the tires, use spike strips do something more before he hurts an innocent person.

[rick1946]

Congratulations to the Police.

[LA lifer]

Seems to me they could have shot out the tires, or pumped a couple rounds into the engine block.

[Cow-eater]

Thank you officer!

[Mike]

Is a crazed criminal, driving a car at high speed, the wrong way and blowing threw stop signs and red lights any different than a crazed criminal firing a gun into a crowd? It's the duty of the cops to do everything in their power to stop them from killing innocents. The safety of the criminal comes secondary.

[policeprocedure]

John,

Guess what? Officers are deemed judge, jury, and executioner in all tactical situations. It's called being a cop! (i.e., what do you think the world is talking about when they say "peace officer powers"?!). Obviously, departmental use of force policies and all laws must be complied with, but you don't know enough about that to comment, now do you? This is a man who, if he survives, will be charged with something akin to assault with a deadly weapon (the car). Officers can shoot a subject if there exists an "Immediate Defense of Life" situation. An individual who is evading the police, causing a six-car pile up with injuries, and subsequently running away with the demonstrated willingness to injur and possibly kill others is an extremely high, and immediate threat to others (e.g,. an ensuing violent car jacking). Of course, you and I don't know the plethora of nuances that contributed to the decision; therefore, it's most appropriate to evalute the gravity of the situation, and defer judgment until the facts are known.

[cr8ivemastermind]

My fiance called me crying this morning because this idiot almost killed her while she was on her way to work. I was very happy that she was ok and very happy that his car was totalled and he was seriously injured. However, when I found out the trigger happy Laguna Beach Police shot him as his smashed car was barely able to accelerate I became discusted. Now instead of spending the next few years in prison this MORON will sue Laguna Beach and will never work another day in his life and tax payers like my fiance who was nearly killed this morning will pay the bill!!!