A manhunt was underway in the rugged canyon country south of Colfax after a 44-year-old man allegedly rammed a sheriff's deputy's patrol car and opened fire on law enforcement personnel and helicopters. Placer County authorities identified the suspect as Derek Spencer, who they say is wanted for several felonies and should be considered armed and dangerous. Residents along Iowa Hill Road were told to lock their doors and stay inside while deputies combed the area.
According to CBS Sacramento, deputies were searching the area of Iowa Hill Road south of Colfax after Spencer allegedly pointed a firearm at victims in Placer County earlier that day. Per the sheriff's office, Spencer then fired shots at law enforcement, including at helicopters overhead, before deputies located him. As reported by Gold Mountain California News, deputies made direct contact with Spencer in the Iowa Hill area before he rammed a patrol vehicle and fled, firing at officers and aircraft as he escaped.
A Search Complicated by Isolated Terrain
Iowa Hill is not an easy place to police. The unincorporated community sits roughly 9 miles east of Colfax and 6.5 miles northwest of Foresthill, perched at 2,861 feet above the North Fork American River canyon, according to Wikipedia. The area is reached mainly by Iowa Hill Road, a narrow, winding route.
That isolation shapes everything from emergency response times to how deputies contain a fleeing suspect. Iowa Hill's population has dwindled to somewhere between 50 and 200 residents today. The route connecting Colfax to Iowa Hill also crosses near the historic Stevens Trail, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002 and connects Iowa Hill with Colfax, according to the National Park Service.
Helicopters Join the Ground Search
With Spencer allegedly firing directly at aircraft, the Placer County Sheriff's Air Support Unit's helicopter, known as Falcon 30, took on added risk during the search.
Ground units combed the canyon terrain near Iowa Hill Road during the search.
Felony Exposure Under California Law
The allegations against Spencer, if borne out, carry serious statutory weight. Firing a gun at an aircraft or vehicle can carry serious criminal penalties. Separately, assault with a firearm against a peace officer or firefighter is a felony punishable by up to eight years in state prison, per DCD Law.
CBS Sacramento reported that deputies located Spencer early Monday and killed him around 4 a.m. This is a developing story.
