Suspect in Avila Beach shooting and car chase is charged with attempted murder
An attempted murder charge was filed Thursday against a Los Osos man who allegedly shot an acquaintance multiple times in Avila Beach on Monday before leading police on a chase that ended in a crash in Morro Bay that injured another motorist.
John Salazar, 53, was charged Thursday with attempted murder, shooting at an occupied motor vehicle, and evading an officer with willful disregard for safety, according to court records.
He remains in San Luis Obispo County Jail custody in lieu of $500,000 bail, jail logs show.
Salazar is scheduled to be arraigned in San Luis Obispo Superior Court on Friday.
According to a news release, Salazar was seen fighting with another man at a home in the 1200 block of San Luis Bay Drive on Monday evening. Salazar allegedly pulled a gun on the other man and shot him multiple times, though police have not released an alleged motive.
The DA’s Office complaint states that Salazar used a .22-caliber revolver.
The other man was able to flee the scene and transport himself to a local hospital with non-life-threatening wounds, according to Sheriff’s Office spokesman Tony Cipolla.
Cipolla said that once CHP located Salazar after the shooting, a pursuit began.
The car chase occurred through the Los Osos Valley to Morro Bay, with speeds reaching an excess of 90 miles per hour, according to police scanner traffic.
The chase ended on Highway 1 in Morro Bay when the suspect crashed into another vehicle at an intersection at the north end of town.
Witnesses told The Tribune Salazar’s car hit a silver four-door Honda Fit as the Honda was turning left on Yerba Buena Street.
The suspect’s car rolled at least once before coming to a rest about 75 feet off the road, witnesses said.
Police vehicles immediately surrounded Salazar’s car with guns drawn, and bystanders helped the female motorist who had been driving the silver Honda.
That woman suffered moderate injuries in the crash, and a GoFundMe account has been set up to help her pay medical bills and other expenses resulting from the crash.
It was not immediately clear what kind of prison time Salazar faces if convicted of the charges.
