Officer involved shooting in car pile up

By Michael Webster Jan 12, 2010 at 9:00 AM PST. Revised at 11:15 AM PST Same date.

Article Tab : Police and paramedics respond to a traffic collision in Laguna Beach, where shots have been reported to have been fired, authorities said.

Police and paramedics respond to a traffic collision in Laguna Beach, where shots have been reported to have been fired, authorities said.

KEN STEINHARDT, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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LAGUNA BEACH – Multiple Gun shots ring out this morning in the 700 block of Pacific Coast hwy at least one person has been shot in an officer involved shooting, apparently after a police pursuit ended in a car wreck and shooting that involved six cars, Sheriffs began the pursuit in Dana Point police said.

Laguna Beach police Investigators have refused to comment or disclose what prompted the shooting, but witnesses told the Laguna Journal this morning that police officers with the Laguna Beach Police Department fired shortly before or after the head-on collision which was reported on Pacific Coast Highway and St. Ann's Drive at about 8 a.m., said Lt. Jason Kravetz.

"There are a lot of wrecked cars," police told the press.

Photo's: By Ted Reckas.

Laguna Beach Police are seen taking Arden Deshon Reneau into custody in the 1000 block of Glenneyre after he allegedly run from the scene of the shooting.

At the intersection, a black SUV was penned between two police patrol cars. Multiple Gunshot holes are visible on the sides where witness's claim bullets where fired.

The chase of the suspect burglar ended only after the six-car collision, an attempted car-jacking and a foot chase when police cornered the suspect hiding in a Laguna Beach garage.

Bystanders according to local news reports let out a cheer when police put the suspect in the back of a patrol car after emerging from the garage in the 1000 block of Glenneyre with the suspect in handcuffs.

According to police reports despite the wreckage to vehicles, including a red Ford Mustang driven by the suspect that careened across head-on traffic, only one driver, a Laguna Beach resident, suffered minor injuries and was taken to Mission Hospital. A second motorist complained of pain but declined to go to the hospital.

The suspect, Arden DeSean Reneau, 26, of Paramount, according to a driver’s license at the scene, was transferred into the custody of the sheriff’s department, who will investigate the incident. Reneau is being held on $50,000 bail and is due to appear on court on Tuesday., said police Lt. Jason Kravetz.

inArden Deshon Reneau’s escape vehicle, where it came to rest after crashing into 3 other vehicles on PCH.

According to the Laguna Beach Independent Reneau’s Mustang, northbound on Coast Highway, ran through numerous red lights at high-speed despite traffic congestion due to Caltrans street work. Between Oak and Anita Streets, his vehicle swerved into oncoming traffic, hitting three cars before slamming into a curb in front of Laguna MBZ Service.

The paper went on to report that owner Vick Hausner was outside delivering a car to a customer, when Reneau’s car came to a stop just a few feet away.

Laguna Beach Firefighters respond to accident victims at the intersection of PCH and Oak Street. Photo: Ted Reckas.

“I was talking with my customer and his girlfriend, and we hear a crash and this car was skidding like a NASCAR accident, probably 50 miles per hour, maybe 40. He was coming in really hot. I didn’t really know what was happening. I didn’t think he was a criminal. I just thought he had been in an accident and was in shock. Dude runs to the customer’s car, trying to get in, yelling, ‘I need a car! I need a car right now!’

After unsuccessfully attempting to take two vehicles from Hausner’s lot on the southwest corner of Coast Highway and Anita, Reneau ran across the street and attempted to take a van – one of the vehicles he had hit during the accident – that was now on the side of the road.

“He was banging on the window but couldn’t get in. She (the driver) was inside. Then he ran up Anita,” said Hausner.

Two other witnesses, Gilbert Valenzuela and his co-worker Robert Hernandez, barely escaped getting hit themselves as they pulled onto Coast Highway from a fast-food restaurant and observed a speeding car whose driver seeming intent on running a red light. “I see him jump into the opposite side, try to swerve around

He swerved and lost control and went into the opposing traffic. He bounced off another car and almost flipped. He got up on two wheels and when he came down it went straight left, to where he ended up at,” said Valenzuela.

As bystanders came from surrounding establishments to help victims of the accident, according to numerous witnesses, Valenzuela focused on the fugitive.

“At first I thought this guy was drunk and he did a hit and run,” he said, “But when he sped by, I seen the passenger side all scraped up. Then when he crashed and he jumped out and tried to take another car I went, ‘Oh, this is more than that.’ I felt like we got to stop this guy cause its going to get worse.”

Valenzuela followed Reneau to an alley between Coast Highway and Glenneyre Street, where Reneau had entered an apartment complex. There, Valenzuela flagged down police by honking his horn and yelling. Officers quickly arrested Reneau.

Mehraj Singh, nephew of Kuljit Singh, owner of Natraj Indian Cuisine, was standing outside the restaurant on the northeast corner of Coast Highway and Anita.

“(The fugitive) was running up Anita, one hand in his pocket. Maybe he had a gun, maybe something else. Only one hand was out. He tried to take two cars in the lot behind Natraj, then he jumped into a yard. Then when the police were taking him, I saw him with his shoes off, saying ‘I’m not going to run anymore,’” said Singh.

Dave Strong, who said he hears accidents all the time working at Laguna Surf and Sport, said, “I heard a bang then looked out the window and the red Mustang was two-wheeling on its side. After it stopped, he got out and ran.”.

Mark Scott, an electrical contractor who has lived in Laguna for 38 years, was outside Laguna Coffee Co., said, “The guy hit the two cars there, then skidded over toward the old machine shop (Laguna MBZ Service). I went and helped the lady that was in the bug out of the car. She was freaking out because the talc they pack those airbags in looks like smoke. She thought it was on fire and the only way we could get her to calm down was to get her out. I helped her out and looked back and everybody was pointing that the guy had run.”

Scott added, “I saw him go whizzing by. He was just trying to control the car at that point. Then he skidded up to the other street. I looked at the people in the pawn shop and said call 911. I didn’t realize it was a chase. Just thought it was an

Details on the shooting were scarce, but Kravetz said officers did fire their weapons.

A sig-a-lert was issued as authorities blocked off the 700 block of Pacific Coast Highway in both directions while the shooting investigation continues.

Coast Highway was closed from Cress Street to Anita Street as authorities investigated.

Sources:

Laguna Beach Police Dept.

Orange County Sheriff's Office.

Laguna Beach Independent

Orange County Register

Varies witness's

Top photo by Ken Steinhardt

Other Photo's: By Ted Reckas.

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