By MARY CALLAHAN
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Published: Thursday, November 11, 2010 at 1:26 p.m.
A fugitive parolee wanted for questioning in a variety of suspected crimes from Mendocino County to Kern County was shot and killed late Wednesday while attempting to run from law enforcement agents on the Mendocino Coast, authorities said.
Shane Hutchins, 32, had been sought since June for questioning in a growing list of cases and was a suspect in numerous police pursuits including a vehicle chase in which a sheriff's deputy crashed and broke his leg, Mendocino County Sheriff's Capt. Kurt Smallcomb said.
Hutchins topped the Mendocino County Sheriff's Most Wanted List.
Ukiah Police suspected him in a kidnapping two or three days ago, Smallcomb said. Ukiah Police were not available Thursday morning to provide details.
Hutchins also was wanted in connection with a sexual assault case, as well as a domestic violence case, a car theft, and a residential burglary in Kern County, Smallcomb said.
“These are all individual cases,” Smallcomb said. “He's been bouncing back and forth between the coast, Ukiah and Kern County.”
Authorities also had information Hutchins was armed with knives or handguns and had vowed he was “not going back to prison,” Mendocino County authorities said.
Hutchins, who was paroled last year, was holed up in a house about two miles outside Fort Bragg when law enforcement officials were tipped to his whereabouts on Wednesday, Smallcomb said.
Sheriff's deputies and members of the Mendocino Major Crimes Task Force assembled outside the house on Lahmon Lane, a rural road off Highway 20.
When they burst inside at 8:50 p.m. to detain Hutchins, he escaped, Smallcomb said.
Hutchins ran outside and into the brush but was pursued by a deputy who confronted him and shot him, Smallcomb said.
A Lahmon Lane neighbor said Thursday she distinctly heard at least four shots in rapid succession, apparently from the same gun.
Authorities said emergency medical aid was summoned, but Hutchins died before they could arrive.
The name of the deputy, who has been placed on administrative leave, has not been released.
The neighbor, who asked that he name not be used, said the shooting occurred outside one of five homes on the road where where numerous people had lived in recent years, and where people frequently came and went.
She said she was in bed watching television shortly before 9 p.m. when she suddenly heard a commotion and then the shots.
“All I heard was loud voices and then gunshots, and there was four or five gunshots,” she said.
The shooting is being investigated by the California State Department of Justice.
No comments:
Post a Comment