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Mesa PD open fire on man who led them on pursuit in stolen vehicle and tried to run 2 officers over

Posted at 8:25 PM, Sep 15, 2016
and last updated 2016-09-16 01:37:58-04

Police in Mesa have arrested a man who led authorities on a pursuit and tried to run over two officers. 

The investigation began when a detective with the Mesa Police Department, who was conducting a parking lot check at a motel near Alma School and Broadway roads on Wednesday around 11:30 p.m., ran a routine check on a Mercedes sedan, which was occupied by a male driver. 

The detective soon learned the Mercedes was reported stolen from Scottsdale on Monday. 

The detective alerted nearby ground and air units of the vehicle and officials started to survey it while it was unoccupied, according to a release from the police department. 

About 20 minutes later, a man identified as Timothy Childres exited a motel room, got into the Mercedes and drove away.  

Officials followed the Mercedes, which made a u-turn at Alma School Road at a red light and started traveling at a high rate of speed at Extension Road. At Broadway Road, the vehicle turned at a red light. It then proceeded to travel southbound on Country Club Drive and re-parked in the original parking spot it was in earlier that night. 

Unmarked police officers began to enter the parking lot where Childres was in; he then pulled away. 

Police tried to get the Mercedes to pull over, and several officers started following the man's vehicle on foot. Childres crashed into a truck at a high rate of speed before driving in the direction of two officers. One of the officers, fearing for his and his colleagues' safety, opened fire at the vehicle. The Mercedes did not stop after shots were fired and headed toward Country Club Drive as officers pursued. 

The man ran several red lights, drove erratically and continued to flee from officers. At one point, the man went into a mobile home park near Broadway and Dobson roads and then crashed through a fence. He ran from the vehicle before officers were able to get him into custody right after midnight near Dobson Road and 8th Avenue. 

A drug test was performed on the man; he tested positive for methamphetamine and possibly for heroin as well. 

Police say a semi-automatic handgun was found in the Mercedes on the driver's side floorboard; an assault rifle was also found on the passenger seat. Childres is prohibited from possessing weapons as he has a felony conviction. 

Childres faces two counts of aggravated assault and one charge of theft of means of transportation, possession of dangerous drugs, possession of narcotic drugs, misconduct involving weapons, unlawful flight from law enforcement, resisting arrest and one count of theft.