A man died Wednesday when he was run over by a San Jose Police officer following a crime spree that extended through two counties.
According to SJPD, the incident began just after 2pm where an armed suspect entered a car dealership, stole a green Corvette and sped off.
As the man then drove south, police managed to track him from a helicopter to Hollister in San Benito County, where he abandoned the vehicle on Westside Boulevard, Hollister Police said in a press release.
The driver was armed with a gun, and engaged in gunfire with officers before running away on foot.
The suspect then stole another vehicle and led police on another chase north on Highway 25 to northbound Highway 101 in Gilroy with the suspect firing numerous shots at pursuing California Highway Patrol officers.
With multiple law agencies giving pursuit, the chase sped onto Highway 85 and then Highway 87 into downtown San Jose and onto Julian Street. That’s where the suspect slammed into a SUV, jumped from the car and engaged police in a gun battle, where a SJPD sergeant was shot and injured. At one point a San Jose Police officer used his patrol vehicle to run over the suspect, killing him.
Police say they believe the suspect was the same person involved in an armed carjacking and a stolen car from a dealership in San Mateo several days ago.
No names have been released. The injured officer is recovering at the hospital, SJPD said.
