Overnight Thunder Run, Chopper Chase Ends With Bang, Whimper In Lafayette

Ranger, riding without benefit of two tires, heading for Lafayette.

Busy lately. And getting busier, apparently.

News24/680 ShooterMan Sean McDonough was minding his own business, processing film and whatever else those PhotoDudes do when a chase popped up on northbound I680 early Friday.

As it turns out a Silver Ford Ranger wanted by police in connection with an alleged assault on a police officer in Fremont made its presence known on 680 at about Crow Canyon in San Ramon, subsequently attracting a lot of police attention.

Vals Lane

Sean, as all tried and true news shooters do, rolled out and was met by the sight of the Ranger steaming his way in the northbound direction, a CHP helicopter quickly joining the growing convoy of police vehicles and the Highway Patrol people setting up a spike station at 680 and Rudgear.

Realizing the truck was running on its front rims Sean started to bang away (remember, it’s dark and fast out and not particularly well-suited to making photographs) recording the moment the truck’s driver sped past him, exiting on Pleasant Hill Road and rolling in the northbound direction.

Sean caught up as the Ranger crashed at Reliez and Vals Lane in Lafayette, possible after a Police Intervention Technique (PIT) and came to rest as shown, the driver bundled up and taken off, a pole damaged (of course) and folks just starting to poke their heads out and ask “what’s going on?”

So now you know!

Screenshot

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17 Comments

  1. Barb on Aug 9, 2024 at 9:26 am

    So THATS what all the fuss was about!!!

  2. George on Aug 9, 2024 at 10:13 am

    “the driver bundled up and taken off” … I assume the driver was caught and arrested?

    • NEWS24-680 on Aug 9, 2024 at 10:20 am

      That would be a correct assumption.

  3. Kleinart Family on Aug 9, 2024 at 10:25 am

    Good work!

  4. Lourdes Meza-Castillo on Aug 9, 2024 at 10:36 am

    Someone knows how to use a camera!

    • NEWS24-680 on Aug 9, 2024 at 10:39 am

      Sean’s coming along nicely… under our tutelage. Ahem. (The guy’s a Born Shooter.)

  5. S Waverly on Aug 9, 2024 at 10:37 am

    Always Lafayette lately…..

  6. Dan on Aug 9, 2024 at 11:18 am

    Can you outrun a chopper?

    • NEWS24-680 on Aug 9, 2024 at 11:42 am

      We’ve seen people try…

      (Edit)
      • Jeff Lowe on Aug 9, 2024 at 12:11 pm

        It is difficult to outrun a helicopter and radio traffic.
        Nice catch LEOs !

  7. Carol on Aug 9, 2024 at 3:38 pm

    Why do they all end up in Lafayette?

  8. Jeff on Aug 9, 2024 at 3:45 pm

    Yee haw, yippie ki Yay. Buy my horse an adult beverage.

    Firestone 11R

    (Edit)
  9. Nicky on Aug 9, 2024 at 8:59 pm

    Everyone comes to Lafayette

  10. David on Aug 10, 2024 at 5:23 pm

    Get your motor running’
    Head out on the highway
    Lookin’ for adventure
    And whatever comes our way
    Did someone say chopper???

    (Edit)
  11. Danielle on Jan 28, 2026 at 2:57 pm

    Almost an everyday occurrence now.

  12. Gretchen Sumner on Feb 15, 2026 at 8:48 am

    What happened on Brookwood yesterday? There were so many police…..

    • NEWS24-680 on Feb 15, 2026 at 11:02 am

      Yes. One of two incidents we covered yesterday… we’ve put out what we know via our Flash Alert system and have asked officials for more…

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