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A 17-year veteran of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department died in a hospital after a high-speed pursuit ended in gunfire on Monday.
Sgt. Dominic Vaca, 43, of the Morongo Basin Station was shot after an attempted traffic stop in Yucca Valley, a desert community outside Joshua Tree National Park.
“The gunshot wound he sustained earlier today was too severe for him to overcome,” Sheriff John McMahon said in a
video posted just before midnight Monday.
The pursuit began when deputies spotted a man riding a motorcycle with no license plate near Paxton Road and Imperial Drive just after 12:30 p.m., officials said. The deputies tried to stop the motorcyclist, but he fled, so they started chasing him.
Deputy killed in Yucca Valley shooting mourned, honored with procession
An overnight procession honored the sacrifice made by Sgt. Dominic Vaca, a San Bernardino County Sheriff s Department employee who served for 17 years. He was a sergeant at the Morongo Basin Station. Vaca was killed in a shooting in Yucca Valley on Memorial Day. We appreciate the outpouring of support and prayers for Sergeant Vaca, his family, and our department, a tweet from the Sheriff s Department read.
A procession for a true hero
We appreciate the outpouring of support and prayers for Sergeant Vaca, his family, and our department. pic.twitter.com/3IDDbam2Dp San Bernardino County Sheriff (@sbcountysheriff) June 1, 2021