HIGHLAND >> A Riverside man who authorities say struck and dragged a sheriff’s deputy inside the San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casino parking structure was shot and killed Wednesday evening, a San Bernardino County sheriff’s official said.
The driver and a passenger, who was hurt in a subsequent crash, were taken to the hospital, where the man later was pronounced dead, the Sheriff’s Department said in a news release Thursday.
The man was identified as Michael Russo, 31, of Riverside, and the passenger was Ath Pen, 44, of Fresno, sheriff’s officials say.
Just before 8 p.m., deputies from the sheriff’s Central Station received an alert from an automated license plate reader about a stolen vehicle in the area of Highland and Victoria avenues, according to the news release.
Deputies found the vehicle in the parking structure of the Highland casino and began surveillance. A short time later, deputies watched a man and woman — later identified as Russo and Pen — get into the vehicle.
When deputies tried to get the pair to get out of the vehicle, the man put it in reverse, striking and dragging a deputy, according to the release.
At least one deputy fired at the vehicle and struck Russo, authorities said. The vehicle continued to travel at a high rate of speed through the parking structure. As it barreled down a ramp, it smashed into two vehicles and a metal barrier in the structure’s second level, authorities said.
It’s unclear how many times the driver was struck by gunfire.
Authorities said Pen suffered “major injuries to her legs,” but doctors confirmed there was no evidence that she was shot. She remained hospitalized Thursday.
Authorities did not provide information on the condition of the deputy who was struck and dragged by the vehicle.
The Riverside County coroner’s office will conduct an autopsy — typical for deaths involving the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department — to determine Russo’s cause of death.
The Riverside County Coroner’s Office will conduct the autopsy and determine the cause and manner of death of the unidentified man.
Anyone with information regarding this incident can call Detective Arturo Alvarado or Sgt. Greg Myler at 909-387-3589. Callers wishing to remain anonymous are urged to call the We-tip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463), or you may leave information on the We-Tip website at www.wetip.com.
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