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

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!