Solana Beach CA— Early Thursday morning, April 25, 2019 around 4:20, Orange County Sheriff’s Department deputies responded to a call of an attempted armed robbery at a Chevron gas station in the 24700 block of Alicia Parkway in Laguna Hills. Responding deputies observed the suspect in a vehicle and attempted to perform a traffic stop on the vehicle. The suspect, twenty-nine-year-old Frankie John Arellano Garduno, refused to stop and a vehicle pursuit ensued. He was the sole occupant of the vehicle.
Deputies followed Garduno onto the southbound I-5 Freeway where officers from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) assumed control of the pursuit. Officers attempted to deploy a tire deflation device on Garduno’s vehicle in the area of the I-5 Freeway and Harbor Drive in Oceanside.
The tire deflation device was not successful. Garduno continued driving southbound and exited the freeway on Loma Santa Fe Drive. CHP officers performed a vehicle intervention technique in an attempt to stop Garduno’s vehicle. The vehicle intervention was successful and officers attempted to take Garduno into custody.
Garduno refused to comply with instructions to exit his vehicle. He drove his vehicle away and struck two officers with his vehicle as he fled. Fearing for their safety, CHP officers shot at Garduno in an attempt to prevent him from further injuring any officers.
Garduno was not struck by the gunfire and he was able to drive off, continuing eastbound on Lomas Santa Fe Dr. Pursuing law enforcement officers and deputies from several agencies located Garduno’s vehicle after it was involved in a traffic collision at Linea Del Cielo and La Floresta.
Deputies and officers searched the area and located Garduno at the end of the cul-de-sac on La Floresta. He was taken into custody without incident. Garduno was transported to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries received as a result of the vehicle intervention. He was subsequently released from the hospital and remains in custody. A gun was located at the scene on La Floresta. There are no outstanding suspects for this incident.
Two CHP officers received injuries from being struck by the suspect’s vehicle. They were treated at a local hospital.
The facts surrounding the shooting are currently under investigation by the Sheriff’s Homicide Unit. The investigation is still on-going.