A man fled into the desert after attempting to run deputies over with a stolen vehicle Sunday morning in Pinon Hills, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said in a news release.
The Victor Valley Sheriff’s Station received reports of a stolen vehicle spotted in the unincorporated Phelan community at around 7:00 a.m., authorities said.
Deputies responded and found the vehicle near Arena Road with a man at the wheel and a woman in the passenger seat, according to the news release.
As deputies approached the vehicle, they “gave multiple commands to the driver, which he refused to follow,” the sheriff’s department said.
The driver, later identified as 29-year-old Brandon Misenheimer, of Hesperia, put the car in reverse started accelerating towards a deputy that was standing behind the car, according to the sheriff’s department.
He then put it in drive and accelerated forward towards the second deputy, authorities said.
“Fearing for their safety, a deputy-involved shooting occurred,” the sheriff’s department said.
Deputies then described seeing Misenheimer drive the vehicle recklessly through the open desert onto Arena Road, according to the news release.
The vehicle was later found unoccupied off-road in a desert area near the intersection of Via Vedanta and Green roads, authorities said.
Deputies spotted the female passenger hiding in a nearby bush and detained her, the sheriff’s department said.
She was taken in for questioning but later released, authorities said.
Misenheimer fled the scene and remains outstanding, according to the sheriff’s department.
The deputies and the woman were not injured and “there is no evidence that suggests the suspect was injured,” authorities said.
No further details were available.
Anyone with information was urged to contact Detective Mike Cleary at 909-387-3589. To remain anonymous, call the WeTip hotline at 800-78-CRIME.