Driver tried to shoot Pismo Beach officer in the head during traffic stop, police say

A driver was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after Pismo Beach police say he tried to shoot an officer who had pulled him over Friday afternoon.

The officer had tried to stop Charles Ammons, 47, for a vehicle code violation at about 1:26 p.m. Ammons initially continued driving slowly in the 200 block of Pomeroy before pulling over, according to a Pismo Beach Police Department news release.

When the officer opened the driver door, Ammons pointed a semiautomatic pistol at the officer’s head, police said.

The officer, who the department did not name, tried to take the gun away, and Ammons pulled the trigger during the struggle for the gun, “attempting to shoot the officer,” according to the news release. Police said the gun malfunctioned and didn’t fire.

The suspect was taken into custody with the help of other officers who arrived at the scene, the Police Department said.

Ammons “appeared to be intoxicated,” police said, and suffered minor injuries in the struggle.

When carrying out a search warrant after the arrest, police also found ammunition and loaded magazines at Ammons’ home.

Ammons was booked into San Luis Obispo County Jail on suspicion of attempted murder, resisting an officer, driving under the influence, possession of a loaded firearm in public and concealed carry, according to the Sheriff’s Office website. His bail is set at $500,000.

Anyone with information pertaining to the investigation can contact the Pismo Beach Police Department Investigations Bureau at 805-773-2208.

This story was originally published April 16, 2022 at 1:01 PM.