Officials on Wednesday announced an arrest in a car-to-car shooting on the Cajon Pass that injured a boy earlier in February.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department detained Jose Luis Chavez when he allegedly trespassed into the High Desert home of two married retired deputies an hour after the Feb. 7 shooting.
One of the deputies contacted California Highway Patrol when she learned of the Cajon Pass incident the next day.
“She mentioned that we should probably interview this individual… It was her intuition,” Chief Bill Dance with CHP said at a news conference on Wednesday.
The shooting happened just after 9 p.m. in the northbound lanes north of the 210 Freeway and south of Cleghorn Road, according to the agency.
A man opened fire on a BMW-5 Series car from inside his vehicle, striking a 10-year-old boy in the head. The victim survived his injuries.
Investigators believe it was a random attack.
About an hour later, the High Desert couple contacted the Sheriff’s Department about a man who had entered their property.
He was carrying some ammunition, according to CHP. Officers also reported discovering a firearm in his vehicle, which was parked nearby.
The Sheriff’s Department detained him on suspicion of trespassing and being a felon in possession of a firearm. CHP authorities later conducted a search warrant at Chavez’s Phelan home, where they found several guns.
Dance said investigators are confident that Chavez was the shooter, and that he could now face an additional charge of attempted murder.
The officer said the 10-year-old victim, who’s expected to make a full recovery, was at Wednesday’s news conference with his family.
“He wanted to come here today to show support for CHP and Sheriff’s Department… He’s a great kid,” Dance said.
The day after the Cajon Pass incident, another car-to-car shooting occurred nearby on the 10 Freeway in Colton.
Authorities said they have found no evidence to suggest a link between Chavez and additional shootings in the area.