Suspects accused of attempted murder after shootout with Benicia police
Two Vallejo men suspected in an armed robbery have been accused of attempted murder after trading gunshots with pursuing Benicia officers.
The incident Friday involved more than 17 law enforcement agencies and closed Interstate Highway 780 for hours.
Neither of the men, ages 33 and 39, nor any officers were injured, police said Saturday.
An automated license plate reader alerted police at 9:22 p.m. Friday that a vehicle involved in a holdup was in the area of Columbus Parkway and Rose Drive.
Officers who tried to stop the vehicle came under fire when it fled on I-780, police said. The vehicle crashed at the bottom of the eastbound offramp to Military West, where one man was captured.
The second ran back toward the freeway, shooting at officers, who returned fire, police said. He was eventually found hiding in bushes in the highway median.
Traffic on I-780 was shut down in both directions between Columbus Parkway/Rose Drive and Southampton Road until about 5 a.m. Saturday.
Benicia police said the arrests involved the California Highway Patrol, which provided a helicopter, officers from American Canyon, California State University Maritime Academy, Concord, Emeryville, Fairfield, Hercules, Napa, Pleasant Hill, Richmond, Rio Vista, San Pablo, Vacaville and Vallejo, the sheriff's departments of Contra Costa, Solano and Napa County, and Solano County SWAT teams.
