‘Who is shooting?’ Sonoma deputies’ body cameras reveal deadly melee
(KRON) — “Who is shooting?” one Sonoma County sheriff’s deputy yelled. “Guilia’s hit! Get a car up here now. Get a f***ing car up here,” another deputy shouted as gunshots rang out.
Deputies’ body worn camera video shows chaos on March 4 as deputies chased a suspect killed in the melee. The violent video was released by the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office on Friday.
Deputies opened fire on Jose Luis Villasenor Cervantes, 53, of Santa Rosa, at multiple intersections during a high-speed chase. A barrage of gunshots can be heard in the video. Cervantes shot at pursuing deputies using an assault rifle, the Sheriff’s Office said.
The deputy who was confused about who was firing was apparently concerned about a rookie deputy, Giulia Geary. She had been injured by shrapnel from bullets fired by Cervantes, according to investigators.
On Stony Point Road, Cervantes used his vehicle to ram head-on into Deputy Nicholas Dellia’s patrol car while the deputy was attempting to deploy spike strips. Dellia opened fire on Cervantes. At the same moment, a rookie deputy, James Blount, accidentally crashed his patrol car into Deputy Dellia and ran the deputy over.
Deputy Dellia was pinned under Deputy Blount’s patrol car and suffer major head injuries. The video reveals that Deputy Blount did not immediately realize that he had just ran another deputy over. “Who is this? F**k,” the deputy exclaimed.
Police said Cervantes fired an AK-47 style rifle at SCSO deputies more than 50 times during the incident.
The Santa Rosa Police Department wrote, “Cervantes intentionally drove his vehicle, head-on, into Deputy Dellia’s patrol vehicle while Deputy Dellia was in a nearby drainage ditch. Dellia fired several rounds from his handgun at Cervantes. As the shooting was occurring, Deputy Blount arrived at the termination of the vehicle pursuit, but his vehicle struck Deputy Dellia.”
Emergency crews rescued the gravely-injured deputy from beneath the patrol car and he was rushed to a hospital for life-saving medical treatment.
Cervantes’ body was pulled out of his wrecked car. He suffered injuries from multiple gunshot wounds, as well as from the crash. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The incident initially began when multiple 911 callers told dispatchers that Cervantes was kicked out of a nightclub for making threats with a gun. Cervantes fled from La Hacienda del Toro nightclub at 3660 Stony Point Road, police said.
A deputy spotted Cervantes driving on Todd Road and followed him. The Sheriff’s Office said Cervantes made a U-turn, pulled into a parking lot, and began firing his assault rifle at Deputy Joseph Nouguier. The deputy fired back with a handgun.
The gun battle eventually turned into a violent pursuit involving at least seven deputies.
A coroner determined that Cervantes died from injuries suffered when he intentionally crashed his car head-on into a patrol car, according to police.
“Cervantes’ lethal injuries were a laceration of the right atrium of the heart and a laceration of the inferior vena cava, both caused by blunt-force trauma to the chest likely caused by the impact of the collision,” the Santa Rosa Police Department wrote.
Deputies involved in the incident, according to the Santa Rosa Police Department:
Joseph Nouguier has been a deputy sheriff with the SCSO for five years. Nouguier was the first deputy fired upon by Cervantes. Nouguier suffered a laceration to his left hand. The cause of the laceration is still under investigation. Deputy Nouguier fired back an unknown number of rounds using his handgun.
James Blount has been a deputy sheriff with the SCSO for 10 months. Deputy Blount suffered several projectile wounds to his lower right leg. Blount fired an unknown number of rounds from his patrol rifle and his handgun during the initial response to the suspect’s gunfire.
Nicholas Dellia has been a deputy sheriff with the SCSO for10 months. Dellia was previously employed by the Calistoga Police Department. He remains hospitalized in stable condition. The SCSO is asking the public to respect his privacy at this time so he and his family can focus on his recovery.
Giulia Geary has been a deputy sheriff with the SCSO for 10 months. Deputy Geary was injured by shrapnel lacerating her right hand from rounds fired by Cervantes. Geary also had damage to her body-worn camera and the exterior of her body armor, both of which were worn on the chest and torso. Geary did not fire any shots.
Jeannine Yebra has been a deputy sheriff with the SCSO for three years. Deputy Yebra was previously employed with the Sonoma County Probation Department. Yebra fired an unknown number of rounds from her handgun during the initial response to the suspect’s gunfire. She was uninjured.
Keegan Cutting has been a deputy sheriff with the SCSO for 10 months. Deputy Cutting fired an unknown number of rounds from his handgun at the suspect during the initial response to the suspect’s gunfire. He was not injured.
SRPD said, “The exact number of rounds fired by the suspect and each deputy is still being investigated by SRPD VCI detectives. All injuries sustained by SCSO Deputies are believed to be caused by the violent actions of Cervantes.”
Independent investigations conducted by SRPD and the Sonoma County District Attorney are still underway.
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