BARSTOW — Barstow California Highway Patrol officers and San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department deputies investigated a death on Interstate 15, closing the freeway's southbound lanes Friday afternoon.
A Barstow CHP unit noticed a disabled vehicle on southbound I-15, south of Ghost Town Road, at about 12:06 p.m. The vehicle was occupied by a black man who was wanted in several shootings, according to the CHP. Officers attempted to make contact with the suspect, who then shot himself.
Calls reporting shots fired inside a vehicle were received at about 12:49 p.m. and scanner traffic reported that the driver of the vehicle was slumped over the front seat and blood could be seen on the driver. The vehicle was described as an older model tan- or gold-colored Jaguar, according to a Daily Press staffer on scene.
The southbound lanes of I-15 were closed at 1:35 p.m. for police activity, according to a Twitter post from Caltrans.
Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Cindy Bachman told the Daily Press that deputies from the Barstow Station were assisting Barstow CHP with a death investigation. The Sheriff-Coroner was requested and arrived around 3:30 p.m., Bachman said.
The No. 1 southbound lane was reported to be open at about 2:30 p.m., Barstow CHP officials said, but other lanes remained closed. A Sigalert was issued and traffic was snarled due to the closure, with cars backed up past Yermo as of 2:45 p.m.
The incident is still under investigation, according to the CHP.