New details in pursuit, deputy shooting that closed freeway for 13 hours in San Bernardino County

Authorities released new details Thursday about a pursuit and shooting involving sheriff’s deputies that left the 15 Freeway shut down through the Cajon Pass for approximately 13 hours this week.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department says the events began just after 7:30 p.m. Monday when deputies from the Victor Valley Station were sent to a disturbance call at a home in the 6100 block of Outpost Road in the unincorporated area of Hesperia.

Arriving deputies were told that 39-year-old Robert Brown had assaulted his spouse and taken her cell phone before leaving in his blue Infinity sedan.

Brown’s vehicle was spotted about two hours later by deputies from the Hesperia Police Department near Main Street and Topaz Avenue in Hesperia, the Sheriff’s Department stated.

Brown did not yield to an attempted traffic stop and instead led deputies on a long pursuit through public streets and onto the 15 Freeway.

After heading south into the Rancho Cucamonga/Fontana area, Brown turned back and headed northbound on the 15 until spike strips and several PIT maneuvers finally brought the pursuit to an end around 10 p.m. near Highway 138.

“During the pursuit, Brown fled from deputies in a reckless manner, driving at high speeds, failing to stop at stop signs, and putting the public in danger,” the Sheriff’s Department stated.

Shortly after the chase ended, a “lethal force encounter occurred” and Brown was taken to a local hospital for treatment, according to the Sheriff’s Department.

The incident and subsequent investigation left the freeway closed until 11:30 a.m. the following day and caused a 4-hour delay for commuters.

Brown was later booked on multiple charges including inflicting corporal injury on a spouse, robbery, and felony evading with disregard for safety.