Mesa officers shoots at suspect after he rams police vehicle then tried to get away in another car
By: One person is in custody and an officer was hospitalized after Mesa police officers were involved in a shooting overnight.
The incident occurred near Broadway Road and Mesa Drive.
Mesa Police Department officials say the incident began around 11 p.m. Thursday when officers attempted to stop a driver at Hobson and Broadway for a civil traffic offense. The driver failed to stop and fled from the area, and officers lost sight of the vehicle.
The officers stayed in the area and were then struck by the suspect vehicle that was making a turn. The driver of the suspect vehicle continued on and hit a parked vehicle with someone inside.
Police say officers got out of the car and the driver started to reverse. Both officers fired their duty weapons at the suspect, who again fled the area in his vehicle.
The vehicle was later found without a driver, and the suspect was found in another vehicle. As officers approached, he tried to flee for a third time before one of the officers was able to take the man into custody.
Police say the suspect has been identified as 23-year-old Joaquin Santiago Orozco. He suffered minor injuries during the incident, but was not struck by gunfire.
Police say an officer suffered a head injury during the collision and was taken to the hospital for treatment. The officer has since been released.
No other injuries were reported.
Police say Orozco was booked in jail on charges including aggravated assault, aggravated DUI, unlawful flight, endangerment, failure to remain at the scene of a crash, and reckless driving.