Following the chaos that unfolded on Highway 24 yesterday, authorities have taken one man into custody. Carlos Ray Thomas, a 57-year-old resident of Oakland, stands accused of engaging in a shooting that targeted vehicles on the East Bay freeway. According to the California Highway Patrol, calls came in around 3:45 PM about a shooting on eastbound Highway 24, west of Old Tunnel Road. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in the incident.
The CHP officers received information from multiple witnesses, which led to the suspect's apprehension after he crashed into the center divide on southbound I-680 near Olympic Boulevard in Walnut Creek. After attempting to escape on foot, Thomas was arrested, and a firearm was recovered at the scene. As KTVU reports, Thomas now faces multiple felony charges, including attempted murder and shooting from a vehicle.
The initial altercation seemed to involve two vehicles exchanging gunfire on the highway, as per initial CHP statements. However, the focus later shifted to the victim's vehicle being hit by gunfire from another passing vehicle. CBS News San Francisco further mentioned that another victim realized their vehicle too had been struck by gunfire after arriving home.
The incident significantly impacted yesterday's traffic, causing considerable backups. The shooting led to the closure of all eastbound lanes of the highway during the investigation, with traffic on Highway 24 in Oakland backed up past the Interstate Highway 580 interchange, and northbound Highway 13 was backed up to Joaquin Miller Road. The lanes were eventually reopened shortly after 7 PM following the wrapping up of the investigation on-site.
