A Richmond Police Department (RPD) detective fatally shot a motorist on westbound Interstate 80 near Highway 4 Thursday morning after stopping to assist the individual, who was linked to a series of reckless hit-and-run collisions leading up to the fatal incident, according to the police. The incident shuttered all westbound lanes of the freeway for much of the day.
The detective, who was unaware of the earlier reports that the motorist had been driving recklessly, encountered the suspect’s gold Nissan sedan blocking the far-left lane at approximately 7:17 a.m.
When the detective stopped his unmarked vehicle to render aid, he found a man standing in the roadway holding a metal object that he had reportedly been swinging at passing traffic. A physical altercation ensued and the detective discharged his service weapon. The individual was transported to a local trauma center where he died from his injuries. The detective was treated for minor injuries at a hospital.
The encounter followed a 40-minute period where the California Highway Patrol received numerous calls regarding the Nissan speeding through Vallejo and striking other vehicles. Witnesses reported the car continued to drive even after its hood flew up and obstructed the windshield.
Preliminary findings confirmed the Nissan at the scene was the same vehicle reported for reckless driving earlier that morning.
The California Department of Justice has taken over the investigation under Assembly Bill 1506 because it is currently unclear if the motorist was armed with a dangerous weapon at the exact moment of the shooting. The detective was on duty in business attire and was not equipped with a body-worn camera, as department policy exempts investigative divisions from the requirement.
The Richmond Police Department Office of Professional Accountability and the Community Police Review Commission are also conducting independent reviews of the incident. Also participating in the probe is the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office.
Investigators are requesting that anyone with information or dashcam footage contact the California Department of Justice at (916) 210-2871.