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Airman who was subject of court-martial leads authorities on pursuit; found dead near vehicle following standoff
NORTH COAST, Calif. – An Air Force serviceman who fled court-martial proceedings last week in Las Vegas was found dead by Mendocino County authorities on Sunday from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound following a vehicle pursuit and a standoff with authorities.
The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office did not release the name of the 32-year-old airman in its Sunday night report on the incident pending notification of next of kin.
Capt. Gregory Van Patten of the Mendocino County Sheriff’s said that at 7:30 a.m. Sunday deputies were detailed to assist the United States Air Force in the 8000 block of Reeves Canyon Road in Redwood Valley.
Deputies contacted Air Force special agents from the Office of Special Investigations stationed at Beale Air Force Base near Marysville, Van Patten said.
Van Patten said the deputies learned a 32-year-old Air Force serviceman had been the subject of a court-martial on Friday at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas.
Prior to being sentenced, that same day, the airman absconded from the court proceedings. Based upon the desertion, an arrest warrant was issued for the serviceman, Van Patten said.
On Saturday at 4 p.m., Van Patten said an officer from the California Highway Patrol attempted a traffic stop on the wanted serviceman’s 2018 Jeep Wrangler south of Ukiah.
This attempted traffic stop resulted in a vehicular pursuit northbound on Highway 101 until the Jeep Wrangler turned onto Reeves Canyon Road, with the driver subsequently eluding apprehension, Van Patten said.
The Air Force Special agents were notified of the attempted apprehension and responded to Reeves Canyon Road where Van Patten said they conducted overnight surveillance of the roadway at the intersection of Highway 101.
At daylight on Sunday the Air Force Special Agents began a search of Reeves Canyon Road in an attempt to locate the Jeep Wrangler, Van Patten said.
Van Patten said they discovered the Jeep Wrangler parked on a secluded fire trail road in the 8000 block of Reeves Canyon Road, approximately 8 miles from the intersection of Highway 101.
At this point, deputies began to develop a plan to approach the Jeep Wrangler, Van Patten said.
During this planning process, Van Patten said the deputies learned the wanted airman had communicated suicidal statements with a friend after his desertion.
Because of the potentially dangerous circumstances, deputies asked for the assistance of the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office unmanned aerial vehicle, or UAV, which is used in connection with search and rescue operations, Van Patten said.
Van Patten said the UAV was deployed and conducted an aerial viewing of the Jeep Wrangler but the operator was unable to see – with the attached video transmitting camera – inside the vehicle as its windows were foggy. The UAV had to return to the staging area because the UAV's battery was almost exhausted.
A short time later the UAV was redeployed and a further viewing of the Jeep Wrangler was conducted. This time there was an object, similar to a person, noted inside the vehicle, Van Patten said.
Sometime thereafter a single shot from a firearm was heard in the immediate area and the UAV had to return to the staging area because the UAV's battery was almost exhausted, according to Van Patten’s report.
Based upon this new information, Van Patten said the Mendocino County Multi-Agency SWAT Team was requested.
On Sunday at 1:30 p.m. the Multi-Agency SWAT Team used the citizen rescue vehicle to approach the Jeep Wrangler, Van Patten said.
During this time, Van Patten said the airman was located deceased approximately 30 yards away from the vehicle in an elevated position on the hillside adjacent to the vehicle.
Initial scene investigation suggested the airman had killed himself with a high-powered rifle, Van Patten said.
A forensic autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday. Van Patten said there is no official manner or cause of death pending the results of the forensic autopsy.
The Mendocino County Sheriff's Office thanked the Mendocino County Search & Rescue, CalFire, Department of Fish & Wildlife, Ukiah Police Department, Willits Police Department, Fort Bragg Police Department, Medstar Ambulance, Redwood Valley Fire Department and Air Force Office of Special Investigations for their assistance.