MENDOCINO Co., 12/24/20 — An early morning altercation led to a car chase in which one man was killed, according to Captain Greg Van Patten of the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office.
According to Van Patten, early this morning a shooting occurred in Fort Bragg, in which one man shot at another. Both men were local to the county, though it’s unclear if they were from Fort Bragg, nor are their identities, ages, or other details being released as yet. After the initial shooting, the man who had been shot at gave chase to the apparent shooter.
They drove separate vehicles south, with the shooter fleeing the other man. The chase took them into Caspar where a crash resulted, and it appears that both vehicles crashed. The shooter died from his injuries at the scene.
It’s unclear exactly how the crash transpired, if it was two out of control vehicles or one vehicle ramming the other, or something else, and so the California Highway Patrol, which has extensive expertise in figuring out vehicle crashes, has been called in to assist in the investigation.
The man who had been shot at and then chased the shooter, whose name has not been released, sustained some injuries.
The MCOS, with assistance from the CHP, is investigating the crash. The shooting occurred within the jurisidicition of the Fort Bragg Police Department, whoever, no one at that station today, Christmas Eve, was authorized to make a statement or release information. FBPD’s involvement in the investigation is thus unknown. Given that the shooter is deceased, their role may be minimal.
It is also unclear if the man who chased the other was charged. As of this evening, the Mendocino County Jail’s online booking logs show only one man being booked, with completely unrelated charged.
Here is what the MCSO posted to Facebook:
On 12-24-2020 at approximately 6:30 AM Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to a reported traffic collision with a fatality in Caspar.During the initial scene investigation it was determined a shooting had occurred in the city of Fort Bragg which soon thereafter resulted in the traffic collision fatality in Caspar.Sheriff’s Detectives were summoned to the scene and are conducting follow-up investigations, which are still ongoing at this time.Sheriff’s Detectives are working with the Fort Bragg Police Department, California Highway Patrol, Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office, California Department of Fish & Wildlife and California Department of Justice Criminalist Division.A press release will made public when more information becomes available at the conclusion of the investigation.
MCSO
It wasn’t two cars; a pickup pursued a motorcyclist to Caspar; the fatality was the rider of a motorcycle. The person who called the “accident” in to 911 said the driver warned her that the rider should not be approached as he still had a pistol. Caspar Road was blocked as a crime scene all day long.
Whoever wrote this article seriously needs writing or editing skills. Very confusing and misleading. And apparently inaccurate. We are sad for the incident, grateful for any law enforcement trying to figure it out, but good grief.
Is there any name of the motorcyclist. Who died. It may have been my cousin. I stay in sacramento and can’t find any others information on this. Please someone help
How do you know the motorcyclist had a gun? Was the driver of the other vehicle shot as well?
I know the man killed and his wife has been notified. This family is in mourning. So if people could quit with writing there thoughts and opinions about what happened. Nobody really knows anything just yet.