Fleeing vehicle shot at by CHP officer

A California Highway Patrol officer shot at a vehicle early Thursday in Hayward after officers woke up the driver of a stolen car and he struck an officer’s leg as he fled, authorities said.

Officers were conducting a traffic stop around 2:30 a.m. when a passing motorist told them about a person sleeping behind the wheel of a car in the area of Tarman Avenue and Jackson Street, according to CHP.

After running the Toyota sedan’s license plate, which returned as stolen, the officers put a spike strip in front of the vehicle and tried to wake up the driver, authorities said. The driver awoke and put the car in drive before turning the wheel to drive “directly” toward one of

“Until the investigation is over, we can’t release anything.”

Officer Dustin Kennerley, CHP spokesman

the officers.

The sedan hit the officer, who fired one round, according to CHP. The officer also stepped on the spike strip while trying to avoid the vehicle, which ran over the strip and hit a parked car as it fled.

Officer Dustin Kennerley, a CHP spokesman, said the agency could not release any video footage of the incident or more information about the stolen vehicle because the investigation is ongoing.

Authorities do have the

vehicle’s license plate number, but they did not want to release it while they determine whether the plate was stolen as well, Kennerley said.

“Until the investigation is over, we can’t release anything,” he said.

The injured officer was checked by an ambulance at the scene.

Authorities were unable to locate the vehicle or suspect.

The car was described as having frontend damage. Anyone with information about the incident can call CHP at 5104891500.

Alejandro Serrano is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: alejandro.serrano@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @serrano_alej