By Rowena Coetsee
STAFF WRITER
OAKLEY, Calif. - An Oakley police officer fatally shot a man late Saturday night after the pair scuffled following a vehicle accident, according to the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office.
Following the officer-involved shooting, the deceased man’s son and brother were arrested for interfering in the investigation and attempting to run down officers in a vehicle, respectively, a sheriff’s official said.
James Brennan, 49, of Oakley, died after being shot once from a 12-year veteran officer’s handgun, said sheriff’s spokesman Jimmy Lee.
The incident began when the officer witnessed a minivan speed past him about 11:56 p.m. on Live Oak Avenue, Lee said.
The officer followed Brennan, the driver, to the 4000 block of Live Oak Avenue, where the minivan driver collided with a sedan.
Brennan then pulled into a driveway a short distance from the crash site. When the officer approached the vehicle, Brennan attacked him without provocation, Lee said.
During the struggle, Brennan tried to remove the officer’s handgun and was shot with a single round, Lee said.
Brennan was taken to Sutter Delta Medical Center in Antioch, where he was pronounced dead.
During the fracas, Brennan’s 27-year-old son, Matthew, arrived on the scene and was arrested for interfering with an officer, Lee said.
In addition, Brennan’s 46-year-old brother, Stephen, was arrested by the California Highway Patrol for assault with a deadly weapon after trying to run down officers at the scene in his vehicle.
Both men were booked into Contra Costa County jail in Martinez.
The officer involved in the shooting, Ian Jones, was placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure, Lee said.
Jones, 42, has been a deputy sheriff with the county for 12 years and for the past seven years has been assigned to the city of Oakley.
Oakley police, the sheriff’s office and district attorney’s office are investigating the incident.
The city of Oakley contracts with the sheriff’s office for police services
Copyright 2007 The San Jose Mercury News