Costa Mesa Police Place In Custody Man Handcuffed Behind Car Then Shoots Driver For Running Him Ov..

Costa Mesa, California — On February 19, 2021, at approximately 10:15 a.m., Costa Mesa Police Officers Joe Lopez and Eric Molina were assigned to the Crime Prevention Unit (CPU) on routine patrol of the La Quinta Inn parking lot. Officers located a parked 2006 Ford Focus occupied by two males and a female. Lopez saw Jose David Valdez in the driver seat with his head slumped forward on the steering wheel. He believed Valdez had just used drugs, was on "the nod," meaning under the influence of drugs, or had possibly overdosed. Lopez approached the driver's side while Molina approached the passenger side. Witness 1 was the front passenger with Witness 2 in the left rear passenger seat behind Witness 1. Lopez recognized Witness 2 from prior narcotics investigation contacts. Molina searched Witness 2, while Lopez conversed with Valdez. Valdez's left hand was bandaged. During the investigation, Witness 1 stated she heard Valdez shot himself in the hand. Valdez had told Witness 1 the vehicle they were in was a "G-Ride", which is slang for a stolen vehicle.

Lopez instructed Valdez to keep his hands on the steering wheel, however, Valdez repeatedly moved his right hand toward the center console, his waistband, and the area of his right leg. Lopez was concerned Valdez may have had a weapon and he had not been searched. Molina located drug paraphernalia on Witness 2 and cuffed his hands behind his back. Molina sat Witness 2 on the asphalt behind the left rear bumper of the Ford Focus. Molina had Witness 1 step out of the vehicle and move behind a vehicle parked east of the Ford Focus where he searched her. Valdez suddenly started the vehicle, placed it in reverse, and accelerated. Lopez and Molina shouted commands for Valdez to stop. Molina was unsuccessful in pulling Witness 2 from the path of the Ford Focus as it reversed. Witness 2 screamed as the left rear tire ran over his handcuffed hands. Witness 2 was then struck by the open passenger door and the front right tire..