A Sacramento-area California Highway Patrol officer with ties to the Bay Area was in critical condition Saturday after being assaulted Thursday afternoon in unincorporated Sacramento County, CHP officials said.
At 1:05 p.m., CHP Motorcycle Officer Michael Ericson came upon a 2001 Ford F-350 pickup truck in an area between west and eastbound Interstate Highway 80, east of Madison Avenue.
Allegedly, the driver of the truck assaulted Ericson with the truck and fled, according to CHP officials.
Law enforcement officers found the truck abandoned in a construction area on westbound I-80 near Northgate Boulevard where the suspect allegedly stole another truck and continued west on the interstate.
CHP officers were able to locate the suspect and started to pursue him. The pursuit took officers through Solano County until a spike strip disabled the suspect’s vehicle and officers were able to arrest 28-year-old Reno, Nevada, resident Austin Scott, CHP officials said.
Scott appeared to be under the influence of drugs when he was arrested, according to CHP officials. Officers determined the truck used to assault Ericson was reported stolen from Reno, Nevada.
After Scott received medical treatment, he was booked into the county jail on suspicion of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, evading arrest, possession of one or more stolen vehicles, vehicle theft and driving under the influence of drugs, according to CHP officials.
Ericson suffered major injuries in the assault and was flown to the University of California at Davis Medical Center where he was in intensive care Saturday, CHP and hospital officials said.
Ericson is a 17-year veteran of the CHP. He has worked at the CHP’s North Sacramento Office for the past six years.
He is a U.S. Marine veteran with two sons and is engaged to be married, CHP officials said.