A 17-year veteran of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department was fatally shot by a suspect after a pursuit in Yucca Valley over the weekend, according to SBCSD.
Sergeant Dominic Vaca died Sunday.
“It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that we report the passing of Sergeant Dominic Vaca, from the Morongo Basin Station,” read the SBCSD post. “He served the community with pride and professionalism and will be missed by many.”
On Monday, the Sheriff’s Department shared a video of a special procession held in honor of Vaca.
At 12:33 p.m. Sunday, SBCSD deputies were conducting patrols off-highway vehicles in Yucca Valley when a man driving a street-legal motorcycle was spotted reportedly driving without a license plate. The suspect then fled the scene and a pursuit ensued before the man bailed out and fled into the open desert on foot, according to a SBCSD Facebook post on the incident.
“During the pursuit, the driver fled on foot into the desert. While searching for the suspect, a deputy, assigned to the Morongo Basin Station was shot,” continued the post. “The suspect shot at the responding deputies and the deputies returned fire. The suspect was pronounced deceased at the scene and a handgun was located nearby.”
The incident is being investigated by detectives from SBCSD’s Specialized Investigations Division.
