By Sevanah Sandoval
During a traffic stop on I-780 caused by an Automated License Plate Reader at 9:22 p.m. on Friday, March 15th, a shooting occurred between police and the people in the car, suspects of armed robbery. When stopped, the suspects fled with the car and fired at officers. Officers fired back until the suspects’ vehicle crashed at the bottom of the eastbound off-ramp near Military West.
One suspect was immediately arrested, while the other fled toward the freeway and hid in bushes in the median, closing both sides of the freeway. He was found with the help of California Highway Patrol helicopters and more than seventeen law enforcement agencies. After an initial apprehension, police believed there may be a third suspect. I-780 was closed from Columbus Parkway and Rose Drive to Southampton for around eight hours until police reviewed body camera footage at 1:15 a.m. and determined there was no third suspect. Westbound and eastbound I-780 were not opened until 4:39 a.m., and off ramps at Military West were not opened until 5:21 a.m.
Only one suspect has been identified, David Ochoa Magana, who is being held on suspicion of attempted murder. No police or suspects were injured.
Many Benicia residents likely saw helicopters or heard sirens from the police chase. The event came as a surprise to many, as Benicia is regarded as a very safe place to live. Crime like this happens rarely, so it was a shock to many.
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