[Scroll down for audio of emergency radio traffic]
The suspect in an Amber Alert abduction case died of gunshot wounds Thursday after being pursued by Santa Barbara County law enforcement and cornered in Solvang.
Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman Kelly Hoover confirmed that the suspect, believed to be Fernando Castro, 19, was found deceased in the vehicle from gunshot wounds after exchanging fire with law enforcement personnel.
An Amber Alert was issued statewide after 15-year-old girl, Pearl Pinson, was allegedly abducted from Solano County Wednesday morning and the suspect, Castro, was said to be driving an older model gold Saturn.
The vehicle with a matching license plate was first spotted and pursued by the CHP on Highway 101 north of Los Alamos around 3:10 p.m., and the driver later headed east on Highway 246 to Solvang, Hoover told media.
He briefly drove the wrong way on Highway 101 before exiting at Buellton.
Sheriff’s deputies joined the chase and a Santa Barbara County Sheriff/Fire Air Support Unit helicopter provided critical information to let units on the ground know where the suspect vehicle was headed, she said.
After the driver crashed the car into a barricade near the Rancho Santa Ynez Mobile Estates on the 100 block of Val Verde, the suspect got out of the vehicle and shot at pursuing deputies, and one returned fire, Hoover said.
The man then broke into one of the mobile homes and barricaded himself inside, and the female resident of the home ran outside, uninjured.
At about 4 p.m., the suspect stole a truck from the neighborhood and started driving back to Fjord Drive, where he again exchanged shots with law enforcement.
At that point, the driver was observed slumped over the wheel and not moving, and deputies approached the vehicle using an armored vehicle.
The suspect was located in the stolen vehicle deceased with multiple gunshot wounds, Hoover said.
He was declared dead at about 4:20 p.m., according to radio traffic. A handgun was recovered from the scene, Hoover said.
No law enforcement officers or civilians were injured, Hoover said.
“Coroner’s detectives are in the process of confirming the identity of the suspect and notifying the next of kin. As is protocol in any officer-involved shooting, an investigation is underway to account for the shots that were fired and determine if the shooting was within policy,” Hoover said.
Pearl Pinson’s whereabouts are unknown, and anyone with information about her is urged to contact law enforcement.
“We have the FBI, sheriffs from Solano County, Santa Barbara and the CHP working to determine what happened here, and definitely everyone is very concerned for her welfare,” Hoover said.
During the pursuit and search in Solvang, law enforcement issued a reverse notification call through the 9-1-1 system telling nearby residents to shelter in place and lock their doors.
The incident that prompted the Amber Alert happened in Vallejo Wednesday morning around 7 a.m., when the Solano County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of shots fired on a freeway overpass.
“A witness reported seeing a white female being pulled by a Hispanic male on the overcrossing. The female’s face was bleeding, and she was yelling for someone to help,” the department said on its Facebook page.
“The Hispanic male had a firearm in his hand. As the witness ran for help, a shot was heard. Upon arrival, deputies found what appeared to be blood on the ground; however, no one was located in the area.”
The female was identified as Pinson, who never arrived at school, authorities said.
“At this time we are not able to confirm if Pearl was shot or the extent of her injuries,” the department wrote on its Facebook page.
Pinson is described as a 5-foot-3 white female, with brown hair dyed green and green eyes. She has a lower lip piercing and was last seen wearing a grey sweater and black leggings, and had a black and turquoise backpack, authorities said.
“Pearl, you need to come home,” the teen’s sister, Rose Pinson, told reporters Thursday night at a gathering on the overpass. “If anything, you can find a way home. I know you can.”
A Crime Stoppers tip line has been established at 707.644.7867.
— Noozhawk managing editor Giana Magnoli can be reached at gmagnoli@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
