A 34-year-old man was behind bars Friday after a North County pursuit that culminated with a roughly five-hour standoff during which he doused himself with gasoline and threatened to set himself ablaze.
Sheriff’s deputies in San Marcos began following a black Chevy Silverado driven by Oscar Daniel Cedillo of Oceanside shortly before 10 a.m. Thursday. The California Highway Patrol officers joined in shortly afterward on northbound Interstate 15 near Gopher Canyon Road, CHP Officer Jim Bettencourt said.
It was unclear why deputies initially tried to pull Cedillo over.
Cedillo exited the freeway and drove through Pala, Pauma and Valley Center before running over a spike strip laid down near Valley Center and Cole Grade roads. However, he continued onto state Route 76, but was forced to stop on Mission San Antonio De Pala after running over a second spike strip on Pala Mission Road shortly before 10:30 a.m., Bettencourt said.
Law enforcement officers took up positions around the vehicle and ordered the driver to get out, but he refused their commands. The suspect doused himself with gasoline as he sat behind the wheel of the disabled truck, according to news reports.
Cedillo stayed inside the pickup until a SWAT team took him into custody shortly after 3 p.m., Bettencourt said.
—City News Service
