Pleasanton murder suspect allegedly kills woman, then self on I-580 during police pursuit
PLEASANTON, Calif. - A man suspected of killing a woman on Thursday morning in her Pleasanton home then died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound in a sedan while being followed by police along I-580 in San Leandro, in a situation that shut down the freeway for hours, authorities said.
Neither was publicly identified.
Pleasanton police said the woman was found dead from multiple gunshot wounds about 11:10 a.m. at a home on Saginaw Circle.
Authorities said the man was seen driving away from the home by an unmarked Pleasanton police unit and was followed onto westbound I-580.
Officers chased the sedan until it became disabled in the area of westbound I-580 and Benedict Drive about 11:20 a.m.
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CHP Spokesperson Officer Jennifer Pabst said the dark-colored Lexus sedan suddenly crashed during the pursuit, hitting the shoulder near Fairmont Drive in San Leandro.
CHP, San Leandro police, and Alameda County sheriff's deputies were called to help. Witnesses said a stand-off took place, with two armored trucks surrounding the vehicle and guns drawn.
"The police were telling everybody up here to please move out the way a little bit just in case, because they were going to be letting off both shots and gas," said Dushown Ledletter, who was watching from the overpass.
Ledletter said he heard the police yell "Come out with your hands up!" and the sound of gunfire. Witnesses said they saw a robot first to check on the suspect.
"I think they were like warning shots to just break the window," said Ledletter.
Officers eventually determined there was no movement from inside the sedan, according to the police news release.
Police approached the sedan and discovered the driver was dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The East Bay freeway was temporarily closed in both directions by the California Highway Patrol near the 150th Avenue exit shortly before noon due to the police investigation.
Traffic eastbound reopened about an hour and a half after the crash, and two westbound lanes were reopened shortly after that. Two westbound lanes remained closed during the rush hour while investigators scoured the scene for evidence.
Police said there's no immediate danger to the community in the Pleasanton apartment complex where the woman was killed. They could not confirm whether the killing was from domestic violence.