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Man accused of killing Calif. deputy in shootout dies

Thomas Daniel Littlecloud was accused of killing Deputy Robert French during a stolen-vehicle investigation

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The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department announced the death of 32-year-old Thomas Daniel Littlecloud.

Photo/Sacramento County Sheriff

By Dominic Fracassa
San Francisco Chronicle

SACRAMENTO COUNTY, Calif. — The Castro Valley man accused of killing a Sacramento County sheriff’s deputy and wounding two California Highway Patrol officers died Saturday, succumbing to the injuries he suffered during a shootout with police Wednesday.

The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department announced the death of 32-year-old Thomas Daniel Littlecloud.

Littlecloud was accused of killing Deputy Robert French, a 21-year veteran of the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department, during a stolen-vehicle investigation. He also wounded a pair of Highway Patrol investigators. The investigators are are expected to survive.

French was shot with an assault rifle while pursuing Littlecloud as the Castro Valley man fled a motel room through a back balcony. Littlecloud made it to a vehicle — which was stolen from the Bay Area, according to the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department — and drove off, crashing the car and firing more shots at officers. Littlecloud was shot by police and taken to a nearby hospital.

Littlecloud had an extensive criminal history in the Bay Area, dating back at least 14 years.

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©2017 the San Francisco Chronicle