An officer-involved shooting is under investigation by the Lake Havasu City Police Department's Criminal Investigations Unit, following an incident that occurred in late August involving Mohave County Sheriff's deputies and a stolen U-Haul truck in Golden Valley, Arizona. The official report indicates the shooting happened on August 31, 2024, around midday.
Deputies were tracking down a stolen U-Haul truck, expected to contain an armed and dangerous suspect, according to initial tips they received. Upon locating the vehicle at a business on S. Cove Rd., the authorities made attempts to engage the suspect who, instead of complying, opted to quickly flee in the truck, which prompted deputies to act swiftly. It was during this time that shots were reportedly fired, and one deputy discharged his weapon to strike the U-Haul, which then led to a high-speed chase spreading out onto Highway 68.
The suspect, after a pursuit that extended to Laughlin, Nevada, was eventually apprehended by officers with the Las Vegas Metro Police Department. The man taken into custody is identified as 40-year-old William Erwin, a Lakewood, California, resident. Erwin now faces charges for possession of the stolen vehicle and also unlawful flight from law enforcement, on top of two felony warrants out of Bullhead City. Information from the investigation was provided by Sergeant Kyle Ridgeway, who noted that no injuries occurred during the incident.
While details of the incident continue to unfold, the names of the officers involved have not been released. It is standard procedure to have an independent body to properly investigate such officer-involved shootings. Erwin was booked into the Clark County Detention Facility, as he awaits further legal proceedings. The Lake Havasu City Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding this event that brought an interstate chase to an end.
