On March 30 just after 9:30 a.m., two Alameda County sheriff’s deputies stopped a vehicle at San Leandro Street and 33rd Avenue in Oakland’s Fruitvale District. Upon stopping the car, a passenger in the vehicle was arrested for possession of ecstasy, after the deputies saw the suspect attempting to hide something underneath his seat.
Two additional deputies arrived at the scene and asked the driver of the vehicle to get out of the car; he refused, according to sheriff’s Sgt. J.D. Nelson. As one of the deputies attempted to release the passenger’s seat belt from the passenger side of the vehicle, the driver of the car sped off, dragging the deputy with the vehicle. The deputy then fired shots from inside the car, while other deputies at the scene fired shots from outside the vehicle, according to Nelson. In the ensuing chaos, the driver of the car was struck by gunfire and later died at an area hospital.
At some point during the altercation, the deputy who was dragged was shot in the foot. Investigators are not certain if the injury was caused by shots fired by the suspect, another deputy, or whether the deputy accidentally shot himself during the incident.
Following the shooting, the vehicle crashed into a building after sideswiping a telephone pole. The district attorney’s office and Oakland police continue to investigate the incident and resulting crash. Names of the deputies involved are being withheld; the two involved in the altercation have been placed on routine leave.
Oakland drug possession attorneys know that the penalties for possessing ecstasy or other illicit drugs/substances are harsh. If charged with a misdemeanor offense, the defendant may face a $1,000 fine and up to one year in a county jail. However, police and prosecutors will often attempt to “trump up” charged from possession, to possession with intent to deliver, distribute, sell, or manufacture. This leaves the defendant facing penalties that are much more harsh if convicted.
Individuals who have been arrested or are under investigation for any drug offense should consult with an experienced and aggressive Oakland criminal defense lawyer right away for effective legal support and guidance. Your attorney will thoroughly review your case and determine the best legal approach to obtain positive results.
