Santa Maria Sun / News

Santa Maria man shot by Highway Patrol officer

BY JEREMY THOMAS

A Santa Maria man was still listed in critical condition as of press time after being shot by a California Highway Patrol officer near Los Alamos on July 15.

Investigators alleged 18-year-old Michael Ledesma threatened his girlfriend with a knife while they were driving along Highway 135, and that he later approached a CHP officer after his girlfriend pulled over and dialed 911 to report the incident.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department responded to the call along with the CHP, Sheriff’s Department officials said, and a veteran CHP officer was able to track down the vehicle about 2 1/2 miles west of Los Alamos.

According to investigators, the officer pulled up behind Ledesma’s car, and Ledesma got out, confronting the officer.

“The suspect’s actions caused the officer to believe he was in eminent danger, and the Highway Patrol Officer fired at the suspect, striking him several times,” Sheriff’s Department spokesman Mark Williams said in a press release.

Ledesma was rushed to a local hospital by helicopter, where he was treated for multiple wounds. Neither a 2-year-old in the car at the time, nor Ledesma’s girlfriend sustained any injuries.

The Santa Maria CHP office has yet to release the officer’s name. The Sheriff’s Department, which will conduct the investigation into the shooting, declined to offer any further details on the incident.