By Dennis Taylor
Monterey County Herald
Two men are being held without bail in county jail on suspicion of attempted murder after Salinas police say an officer was shot at during a high-speed chase.
Abraham Ramirez, 27, and Gabriel Zapata, 37, were arrested late Wednesday after crashing the vehicle they were in at West Rossi and Victor streets, police said. Ramirez was driving the early 1990s Honda Accord, and Zapata was the passenger.
During the pursuit, police say Ramirez fired several shots from a handgun at Sgt. Vincent Maiorana and his vehicle. No one was hit by the gunfire.
“It was a senseless act of violence,” Salinas Police Chief Louis Fetherolf said Thursday. “Fortunately nobody was killed.”
The drama began about 10:25 p.m. when Maiorana attempted to contact two men in a car in the parking lot of Longs Drug store at 347 E. Alisal St.
“The Longs Drug shares a parking lot with several businesses, most of which were closed at the time. The sergeant thought the situation looked suspicious because the two occupants of the vehicle were slouched down low,” Cmdr. Dino Bardoni said Thursday. “It’s not uncommon in that area to have stolen vehicles, shootings and robberies, and the officer just thought something didn’t look right.”
After Maiorana got out of his patrol car and approached the vehicle, Ramirez sped away, driving without headlights and emitting sparks from the bottom of the car as they fled. Maiorana gave chase in his patrol car.
Police say Ramirez fired at the officer and his vehicle as the Honda turned onto Peach Street.
The chase proceeded on West Rossi Street and ended at Victor Street, where Ramirez lost control of his car and collided with a full-size pickup. The suspects’ car came to rest facing Maiorana’s oncoming patrol car and Ramirez tried to get out of the Honda, but the officer used his patrol car to block his exit.
Zapata ran from the scene as more officers converged on the area.
The occupants of the truck Ramirez’s car crashed into were not injured, police said.
Blocking off neighboring streets, officers found Zapata a short time later on Stockton Street, about three blocks away.
Maiorana did not fire his weapon during or after the chase, but has been was placed on routine administrative leave, police said.
Both suspects were treated for injuries, then booked on suspicion of various crimes, including attempted murder of a police officer, street terrorism and probation violations.
Ramirez also is being held on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm and carrying a concealed weapon.
“We’re still investigating, but what’s still puzzling is why they shot at the officer,” Bardoni said. “Obviously, they wanted to get away, but what pushed them to fire a gun at a police officer is what we’re still trying to figure out.”
Herald Staff Writer Daniel Lopez contributed to this report.
Copyright 2009 The Monterey County Herald