1100 Potomac Avenue
BAKERSFIELD — Two suspects wanted for attempted murder are behind bars after leading police on a high-speed pursuit that ended in a shootout on Friday night.
Jeriel Fite (31) Reginald Moland Jr. (30) were booked into the Kern County Jail on charges of attempted murder and firearm related charges, along with gang enhancements connected to a shooting.
According to the Bakersfield Police Department, the incident began at around midnight on December 4 when officers were called out to a shooting that had just occurred in the 1700 block of Pacheco Road in Bakersfield.
When officers arrived, they said they located the driver of a vehicle suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
Minutes later, officers spotted three suspects in the area of East White Lane and Cottonwood Road.
“When officers attempted to stop the vehicle, a pursuit ensued,” Public Information Officer Gary Carruesco said. “A short time later the vehicle collided with a fence in the 1100 block of Potomac Avenue where an officer-involved shooting occurred.”
The injured suspect was transported to a local area hospital with non-life threatening injuries, while the second suspect was located nearby and taken into custody without incident. While the firearm was located near the area where the pursuit ended, police said the third suspect is still at large.
The officer who fired the shots was identified as Officer Danny Melendez, who has been with the BPD for approximately one and a half years.
