A wrong-way driver was shot by law-enforcement personnel after a brief pursuit in Goleta Wednesday night, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department.
The incident occurred shortly before 8 p.m. on Patterson Avenue near Agana Drive, said Lt. Butch Arnoldi.
The suspect — a 52-year-old man who was traveling northbound in the southbound lanes — was being pursued by CHP officers and sheriff’s deputies prior to the shooting, said Lt. Kelly Moore.
“He attempted to flee and to ram a CHP car, and shots were fired” by both CHP officers and sheriff’s deputies, Arnoldi said.
The suspect, who was driving a red pick-up truck, suffered a single gunshot wound, Arnoldi said, and was transported to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.
His name was not released, and his injuries were not believed to be life-threatening, Moore said.
Streets around the shooting scene were shut down for a time, and some residents reportedly were not initially allowed back to their homes.
Law-enforcement personnel remained on scene late into the night, talking to witnesses, searching for spent rounds and completing their investigation.
No weapon was found in the suspect’s vehicle, Moore said.
Noozhawk staff writer Giana Magnoli reported from the scene.
— Noozhawk executive editor Tom Bolton can be reached at tbolton@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
