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Freeway standoff on I-80 in Dixon ends
A suspect who barricaded inside their vehicle on I-80 in Dixon on Friday caused the entire freeway to shutdown. Officials said the suspect drove erratically, into oncoming traffic and at officers before their vehicle was disabled. This footage from KCRA-TV shows the moments leading up to the suspect being taken into custody.
DIXON, Calif. - The Interstate 80 freeway in Solano County was completely shutdown on Friday just ahead of the evening rush hour commute when law enforcement officials responded to a person barricaded in their vehicle who was eventually taken into custody, police said.
Reckless driver call
The California Highway Patrol in Solano County issued a traffic alert at around 3:40 p.m. to say that all east and westbound lanes were blocked on the freeway at Pedrick Road because of police activity.
The Dixon Police Department said at around 3 p.m., they received a call of a reckless driver in the area of Pedrick and Vaughn roads. They said the driver of a black Mercedes SUV swerved into oncoming traffic and towards an officer approaching in their vehicle. The officer had to swerve off the road, onto the shoulder to avoid a collision, police said.
Police said the officer made a U-turn and initiated a traffic stop. After the SUV turned on Midway Road and swerved in front of an oncoming big-rig, police said they terminated their pursuit.
The driver was spotted on North First Street. Police said that they attempted another traffic stop.
When the driver once again failed to stop, they entered the freeway in the eastbound direction near Pedrick Rd. Police said the vehicle turned around in the wrong direction on the on-ramp and somehow became disabled.
Police initially said the driver refused to exit their vehicle and climbed into the backseat.
The Solano County Sheriff's Office and CHP-Solano were called for backup. When they arrived to the department's aid, the sheriff's office deployed pepper ball rounds into the vehicle, police said.
Aerial view of arrest
KCRA-TV's news helicopter flew over the standoff and captured its final moments as well as the suspect's arrest.
The footage shows the suspect's SUV back windshield being shattered by the pepper balls. Blasts of smoke could be seen coming from the back windshield and the suspect was seen in the driver's seat as a large law enforcement presence, including a K-9 unit, were active as the freeway was shutdown.
As the blasts continue to shatter the SUV's glass, the driver can be seen opening a passenger door. He emerges with his hands displayed and spread wide, before meandering, almost in a stupor, towards the median. The less-than-lethal rounds are seen being deployed as the suspect walks away. Police said he was ignoring their commands.
The K-9 goes after the suspect, followed by law enforcement officials. It takes at least eight officers to take the driver into custody.
Officers used batons and shields to make the arrest. The suspect appeared to kick the officers while he was handcuffed and turned over from his stomach.
Traffic impact
All lanes of the freeway opened at around 5:10 p.m., CHP said. The westbound lanes opened first, followed by a partial eastbound lane opening.
In custody
Police did not identify the suspect but said he was medically cleared before being booked for reckless driving, assault with a deadly weapon on an officer, felony evading and willfully resisting, as well as delaying and obstructing a peace officer.
Suspect steals UPS truck, engages in Fremont police standoff
A suspect authorities initially believed was armed was taken into custody after allegedly stealing a UPS truck early Thursday and barricading himself inside, triggering a four-hour standoff with Fremont police, officials said.