Officer shoots woman who rammed his car in stolen vehicle pursuit, deputies report
| Friday, Sep 03 2010 03:53 PM
Last Updated Friday, Sep 03 2010 03:53 PM
A 27-year-old Bakersfield woman was scheduled to appear in court Friday on four misdemeanor cases, but instead she's in Kern Medical Center recovering from gunshot wounds inflicted by a sheriff's deputy whose vehicle she's accused of ramming with a stolen vehicle.
The shooting of Jessica Colt Lesly came at the end of a 20-minute pursuit during which she made several attempts to force deputies off the road and ultimately rammed a 1998 Mazda mini van into the deputy's patrol car, sheriff's deputies reported.
Deputy Brandon Rutledge, a four-year veteran, fired two shots at Lesly at Virginia Avenue and Layne Street (just west of Oswell Street), striking her once in the upper body, but she backed into a second patrol car and then drove to KMC where the pursuit ended, deputies said.
She remained combative at that point, but she was arrested with the help of a sheriff's dog, deputies said. She was admitted to KMC with injuries that were not considered life threatening, deputies said.
The incident began at 12:25 a.m. Friday when 30-year-old Xavier Reyes told deputies his mini van was stolen at the California Inn, 1030 Wible Road. Reyes said a shotgun and ammunition were inside the van, and the suspect was a 27-year-old white woman with blond hair, wearing a black shirt and jeans.
Deputies continued with the account:
About two hours later, deputies found the stolen vehicle parked near Weedpatch Highway and Brundage Lane. The vehicle was occupied by a woman matching the description given by Reyes.
Deputies walked up to the van and contacted Lesly. She started the van and drove away, almost striking a deputy.
She drove the van with its lights off in the area of Weedpatch Highway and Brundage Lane. Deputies tried to stop the van, but she refused to stop, setting off a pursuit.
She reached speeds of up to 80 mph in east Bakersfield and made several attempts to force deputies off the road, deputies said.
She rammed into Rutledge's patrol car and disabled it.
Rutledge suffered minor injuries and has been placed on paid administrative leave pending an investigation of the shooting. He has no prior shootings.
Deputies recovered a shotgun and ammunition from the Mazda, deputies reported. Lesly was the sole occupant of the vehicle during the pursuit. She will be booked into jail on charges of assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer, grand theft auto, possession of stolen property, possession of a controlled substance and recklessly evading, deputies said.
Lesly was first arrested March 29 in a misdemeanor case of being under the influence of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and child abuse, according to the Kern County Superior Court website.
She failed to appear for a pretrial conference in that case. She was arrested Aug. 11 on a failure to appear warrant and possession of drug paraphernalia, the website says. She was scheduled for a hearing Friday, the website says.
She was also arrested Aug. 19 on a charge of theft or extortion involving a motor vehicle. That case too was set for Friday.
She also has a fifth misdemeanor case of possession of drug paraphernalia, which is set for arraignment Sept. 22, the website says.
