NEWMAN, Calif. — A man has been arrested, accused of a nearly three-hour-long crime spree across Stanislaus County Friday that ended in an exchange of gunfire between the suspect and police during a chase.
According to the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office, Jason Dingler, 43 of Merced, burglarized a home in the 3500 block of West Keyes Road in the community of Keys around 3:45 p.m. Friday.
Dingler allegedly stole a gun from the home which deputies say he used just under two hours later to carjack a pickup truck in the 5100 block of Muncy Road in Modesto.
Minutes after the carjacking, at 5:37 p.m., deputies say Dingler stole alcohol from a store in the town of Grayson.
Officers with the California Highway Patrol found the stolen truck driving south on Highway 33 around 5:44 p.m. Multiple deputies went to the area to try to stop the car, but officials say Dingler sped away leading law enforcement on a chase which reached speeds of up to 95 miles per hour.
During the chase, Dingler allegedly sideswiped another car causing his stolen car to crash at the end of an orchard near Newman.
As he ran away from the car, deputies say Dingler shot at them multiple times. An officer inside an air unit told deputies that Dingler was moving through the orchard, at times, laying on the ground to shoot at deputies again.
Dingler's gunshots allegedly hit at least one patrol car. At 6:26 p.m., two Stanislaus County Sheriff's deputies shot at Dingler after officials said he started approaching the deputies while holding the gun in his hand.
At least one of the deputies' bullets hit Dingler causing him to fall to the ground. The sheriff's office says that deputies gave Dingler commands, but he was uncooperative and still had a gun within his reach.
Authorities brought in armored cars and said they took Dingler into custody at 6:47 p.m. He is in stable condition in the intensive care unit at a hospital.
Deputies say they recovered the gun that Dingler allegedly used to shoot at them. Investigators believe the handgun is the same one that was stolen from the home and used in the spree of crimes.
No deputies or officers were injured during the chase. The driver of the car that Dingler allegedly sideswiped complained of pain, but declined to be treated, the Stansuialus County Sheriff's Office said.
Officials with the Sheriff's Office and the Stansuialus County District Attorney's Office are conducting a criminal and administrative investigation into the crime spree and shooting.
Dingler was arrested on suspicion of burglary, carjacking, kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon, robbery, brandishing a firearm, evading a peace officer, hit-and-run, possession of a stolen vehicle, being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and attempted murder.
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