#ICYMI: A roundup of
notable incidents involving the California Highway Patrol (CHP) this past
week, including a suspected DUI driver rescued from a submerged vehicle by a
quick-thinking CHP officer, a Ventura County man arrested in connection with
a violent road rage incident, CHP officers arrest a heavily armed freeway
shooting suspect in Madera, a successful aerial rescue in a child abduction case,
and a reported reduction in crime in Oakland. The
list below includes the headline (with a link to the full text) and an
excerpt from each announcement. Click
on the headlines to access accompanying assets that are available for
download. 1.
STOCKTON CHP OFFICER
JUMPS INTO CREEK TO RESCUE SUSPECTED DUI DRIVER
A Stockton CHP officer
jumped into action to rescue a suspected impaired driver after their vehicle
was submerged in a creek. On June 7, CHP received multiple 9-1-1 calls about
a car that had gone across all lanes of southbound Interstate 5, north of
Hammer Lane, and off the roadway. Initially, the responding officers were
unable to locate the vehicle and began checking the roadway for physical
evidence and spotted the vehicle partially submerged in the water on White
Slough. Officers Brown and Lee could hear someone inside the vehicle,
pounding on the right front window. Officer Brown made the quick decision to
jump in, and Officer Lee tossed him a baton to break the window and pull the
driver to safety. The driver was arrested for suspicion of driving under the
influence. 2.
CHP ARRESTS SUSPECT
IN FREEWAY STABBING IN VENTURA COUNTY
Investigators from the CHP’s Coastal Division
Investigative Services Unit arrested a suspect in connection with a road rage
incident that led to a stabbing on State Route 23 in Ventura County. On June
4, CHP officers responded to an altercation on SR-23 at Avenida De Los
Arboles. When officers arrived, they found a 65-year-old man with multiple
stab wounds in the center median of the freeway. Paramedics transported him
to the hospital for treatment. In the following days, CHP investigators
conducted an extensive investigation into the incident. Based on their
findings, a suspect was identified and arrested June 10. The 30-year-old man
from Thousand Oaks, Calif., was booked on charges of attempted murder and
held on $500,000 bail. 3.
MAN ARRESTED AFTER
MULTIPLE SHOTS FIRED FROM A CAR ON HIGHWAY 99 IN MADERA CHP officers arrested a man after multiple shots were
fired from a vehicle on Highway 99 near Madera. On June 9, officers were
called out to Highway 99 for reports of a man firing a rifle and handgun out
of a car. A quick response and teamwork from Fresno and Madera Area CHP
officers led to the safe arrest of an armed individual who is now facing
multiple gun charges. Thankfully, no one was struck by the gunfire and a
deadly situation was averted. 4.
MULTI-AGENCY EFFORT
LEADS TO SAFE RECOVERY OF ABDUCTED CHILD
On June
7, CHP helicopter H-20 assisted in a multi-agency operation led by the Nevada
County Sheriff's Department to recover a 3-year-old child who was the subject
of an AMBER Alert. The boy had been abducted by his mother, following an
alleged assault on the child's father. The mother and child were found by Cal
OES Fire Integrated Real-Time Intelligence System Program 12, which
maintained surveillance until Nevada County search and rescue (SAR) personnel
arrived. Once the SAR team secured the child, H-20 extracted him from the
Yuba River Canyon and transported him a nearby landing zone, where he was
checked by medical personnel and reunited with his father. His mother was
arrested by the Nevada County Sheriff’s Department on multiple felony
charges. 5.
UPDATED CRIME STATS
IN OAKLAND SHOW CONTINUED PROGRESS Following a recent announcement from Oakland officials
showing a reduction in nearly all types of crime since last year, a June 11
news release from the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom highlighted the CHP’s
most recent results from the ongoing East Bay crime suppression operation.
Since February 2024, the CHP has recovered 887 stolen vehicles, seized 47
crime-linked firearms, and arrested 440 suspects linked to organized crime,
carjackings, and other crimes. The announcement comes on the heels of recent data released by the
Oakland Police Department that reports a 33% drop in crime compared to the
same time last year. The mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of
Safety, Service and Security. | 
