This story was updated at 5pm, June 22
A Watsonville Police officer was injured on the job Monday morning during a pursuit of a woman suspected of shoplifting.
Watsonville Police did not name the officer.
Erica Ayala Zamora, 34, was booked into the Santa Cruz County Jail on charges of shoplifting, felony resisting arrest and causing a serious injury to a peace officer. She was being held without bail, jail records showed.
The incident began when WPD got a call regarding a woman that had stolen items from the Dollar Tree at 1010 Main St. around 9:50am.
As police infiltrated the area, officers learned that the suspect, described as a female in a gray hoodie top and black pants, was walking past the Grocery Outlet toward downtown Watsonville.
An officer spotted Zamora, fleeing from officers around Rodriguez and Main streets, where she reportedly abandoned the stolen items. As one officer gave foot pursuit, he fell in the intersection of Freedom Boulevard at Main Street and suffered a serious injury to his leg.
As police called for emergency medical and firefighter response, other officers managed to take Zamora into custody.
Police then shut down Main Street in the area and several surrounding lanes in the heavily-travelled intersection to allow for the rescue effort. The injured officer was taken to a local hospital, and is expected to be okay, WPD said.
The incident is still under investigation.
