Review board: Deputy's use of force not within policy
By THE BAKERSFIELD CALIFORNIAN
The use of force by a Kern County sheriff's deputy who fired at an SUV that rammed the deputy's vehicle was not within sheriff's department policy, a Sheriff's Department review board has determined.
The findings concern the actions of Deputy Chris Strunc, a three-year veteran, according to a department news release.
Sheriff Donny Youngblood said Monday that state law prevents him from commenting on the specifics of an administrative investigation.
He said any case that involves the use of deadly force could be submitted to the District Attorney's office for review. Also, any use of force found to be outside department policy can result in disciplinary action.
Some officer-involved shootings have been found to be outside department policy over the years. Sheriff's spokesman Ray Pruitt said Monday he believes there were two in the late 1990s.
On Jan. 3, Strunc tried to stop a blue, late 1980s-model Chevy S10 Blazer for vehicle code violations in the area of Tucker and Highland roads in Tehachapi, deputies reported. The driver refused to stop.
At one point the Chevy turned into a dead-end street, pulled a U-turn and headed straight at Strunc's vehicle, hitting it head-on, deputies reported. Strunc fired three rounds and the Chevy continued past him, the department reported.
Strunc and other law enforcement chased the vehicle, but the suspects got away. The news release issued by the department Monday didn't say whether the shots hit the Chevy.
The sheriff's Incident Review Board, which met Jan. 18, consisted of chief deputies Francis Moore, David Nelson and Kevin Zimmermann.
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