Brookings man shot to death near Hiouchi
From our weekly issue dated May 21, 2008
A Brookings resident identified as Bobby Jones was shot to death near Hiouchi, Calif. on Hwy. 199 Friday, May 16, according to authorities.
Jones and one of his two pitbulls were shot by deputies from Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office. The incident is being investigated by the Del Norte district attorney.
Authorities say that Jones was in a pickup truck with two pitbulls on 199, when a sheriff’s deputy began pursuing him for reckless driving Friday afternoon. Jones was fatally shot in a confrontation with sheriff’s office deputies on the Hiouchi Bridge just west of the junction of 199 and Hwy. 197.
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A deputy had been pursuing the man’s pickup west on 199 after he was reported to have been driving recklessly. Authorities said that the man, in his 20s or 30s, commanded one of his dogs to attack an officer. Officers fatally shot the dog, then shot the man when he attacked them, it is reported.
“The individual died on the scene,” said District Attorney Mike Riese.
Asked if the man was armed, Riese said, “That’s what we’ve got to determine.”
The chase began at 1 p.m. after a report of a 1998 Ford Ranger pickup with Oregon license plates driving recklessly between Hiouchi and Gasquet.
A spike-strip set up on 199 before Myrtle Creek Bridge blew out the front right tire and rear right tire of the truck, but the deflated tires did not stop the driver.
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“He still did not yield until he lost control at the (Hiouchi) bridge,” Riese said.
He said that after the truck came to a stop, the suspect ran onto the bridge toward other officers arriving on the scene.
“He took off running, then he ordered the dog to attack. The officers had to shoot the dog,” Riese said, adding that it died at the scene. “Then the suspect charged the officer,” he said.
He said the suspect was between two sheriff's vehicles when he was shot.
“My office’s side is to determine whether or not the shooting was justifiable,” Riese said. “When there’s an officer-involved shooting we have a critical incident protocol. My investigators will be the agency for the criminal investigation.”
The second dog in the pickup truck apparently was wounded and under treatment, but details were not provided.
(Editor’s Note: The preceding is from the Del Norte Triplicate and other sources.)
