By Wes Woods II,
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
POMONA, Calif. — A man was arrested Sunday after police said he exchanged gunfire with an officer in a residential neighborhood.
Maurice Reeves, 26, of Pomona was arrested on suspicion of attempted homicide on a police officer and a parole violation, police said.
According to police, Reeves was found hiding under a vehicle in the 1500 block of Delaney Street, one block west of where the shooting took place.
The incident began about 5 p.m. when Pomona police were working a special patrol in search of people not wearing seat belts in the area of San Bernardino Road and Sheridan Avenue.
An officer tried to make a traffic stop of a Chrysler
LeBaron with two passengers not wearing seat belts when the car briefly took off at a high speed.
After it turned onto Sheridan, the vehicle stopped.
One passenger got out and fired a handgun at the officer who was approaching the
LeBaron.
The officer shot back at the suspect, who ran west through residential property, where he was later arrested. There were no injuries reported.
The driver of the LeBaron drove off, and that vehicle has not been found.
Shots hit at least one residence, the police car and a private vehicle, police said.
Pomona police Lt. Ron McDonald said the officer’s name would not be released because of department policy.
Resident Xochitl Ramos, 36, said she walked with her 5-month-old daughter Kaylie in a stroller on Sheridan toward San Bernardino when her 7-year-old son Richard called out to her, causing her to turn around. She believed that helped her avoid being in the middle of the shooting.
“My son saved me because he called me,” Ramos said Monday afternoon.
“I’ve lived here for eight or nine years, and I’ve never heard of nothing like this,” Ramos said. “I’m afraid to go out now.”
Ontario, Claremont, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and Montclair patrol K-9 officers, air support units and patrol officers also responded to help Pomona police.
Pomona Police Detective Bureau is investigating the incident. Anyone with information can call the bureau at (909) 620-2095, the Pomona Police Tip-Line at (909) 620-2085 or the anonymous We-Tip hot line at (800) 78-CRIME.
Copyright 2007 Inland Valley Daily Bulletin