Suspect in Sonoma County deputy shooting brandished AK-style rifle, ignored commands, police say
(KRON) — The suspect who died Monday following a shootout with four Sonoma County Sheriff’s deputies brandished an AK-47 style rifle and ignored repeated commands from deputies, according to the Santa Rosa Police Department. New information from SRPD details how the suspect, 53-year-old Jose Luis Villasenor Cervantes of Santa Rosa, got into a shootout with deputies that led to a fatal vehicle crash.
A 911 call came into the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office around 12:10 a.m. Monday, police said. A witness reported seeing Cervantes brandishing a firearm outside La Hacienda del Toro, a restaurant/night club on Stony Point Road in unincorporated Santa Rosa.
A second witness reported Cervantes had a rifle. Witnesses provided a description of the suspect, including his clothing. He was seen driving away in a white four-door vehicle, police said. Five deputies responded to the scene at 12:11 a.m.
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At 12:15 a.m., a deputy radioed in to report he believed he was behind Cervantes’ vehicle. The suspect made a U-turn on Todd Road and began driving in circles, the deputy reported. Moments later, the deputy attempted a high-risk traffic stop in a parking lot.
Before the deputy could shift into park, police said, Cervantes exited the vehicle and began shooting at the deputy with an AK-47 style rifle. The deputy moved his vehicle to another part of the parking lot and took cover behind it.
The deputy advised dispatch “shots fired” and additional deputies arrived on the scene.
Cervantes was seen returning to his vehicle and rummaging around the passenger area. Deputies gave him multiple commands. He ignored them, exited the vehicle and began firing at deputies again. Four deputies returned fire. Three were injured in the shootout.
At 12:18 a.m., Cervantes got back in his vehicle and fled west on Todd Road with deputies in pursuit. Cervantes pulled into the La Hacienda del Toro parking lot and began to exit the vehicle.
Deputies gave him additional commands, which he continued to ignore. A deputy fired a single round at Cervantes, who then exited the parking lot and headed north on Stony Point Road with deputies in pursuit.
At approximately 12:20 a.m., the suspect’s vehicle collided head on with a SCSO patrol vehicle, coming to rest at a location on Stony Point Road. A deputy fired numerous rounds at Cervantes following the crash.
Deputies arrived on the scene and pulled Cervantes out of the vehicle and handcuffed him. Medical attention was requested for Cervantes and four injured deputies. Deputies and officers rendered CPR to Cervantes while awaiting medical personnel. Cervantes was declared deceased by responding medics at 12:30 a.m.
An autopsy conducted on Wednesday indicated that Cervantes sustained non-survivable injuries that included a laceration of the right heart atrium and a laceration of the interior vena cava, both caused by blunt force trauma to the chest.
Police estimate Cervantes fired a minimum of 50 rounds from the AK-47 at deputies.
Of the four deputies injured, one suffered a laceration to the left hand, requiring sutures. Another was injured by shrapnel to her right hand. Another suffered projectile wounds to the right lower leg, possibly from a gunshot wound. A fourth deputy remains in the hospital and has not been able to speak with detectives.
The incident remains under investigation.
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