Victorville turned tragic when a routine response to a traffic collision escalated to a deadly confrontation between deputies and an armed man yesterday morning. Officials named Nicholas Robert Contreras, 32, of Hesperia as the man involved in the lethal encounter on Mariposa Road — where a seemingly regular accident check led to gunshots and loss of life.
According to a report released by the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, deputies arrived on the scene at about 9:58 a.m. following reports of a vehicle striking a pedestrian. The pedestrian, Contreras, continued to walk around even after being hit by a second vehicle. The attempt to contact him revealed a more dangerous situation: Contreras was armed with a knife. Despite several directives to drop the weapon, and get on the ground, Contreras moved toward the deputies, prompting them to discharge their firearms, the official statement said.
Contreras was hit during the exchange and pronounced dead at the scene despite attempts to save him. The incident, which has now been categorized as an "Assault w/Deadly Weapon on a Peace Officer" is currently under thorough investigation by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department’s Specialized Investigations Division.
Authorities have urged the public to step forward with any information linked to this incident. Individuals with knowledge pertinent to the case are encouraged to contact the Specialized Investigations Division, or, for anonymous tipsters, the We-Tip Hotline is available, as provided in the department's bulletin. Detective O. Domon and Sgt. M. Warrick of the Specialized Investigations Division is leading the investigative efforts. The case number is listed as DR# 172405550 H# 2024-040.