Pursuit suspect to appear in court today

Bail set at $6.5M for Dain Sanderson, accused of shooting at deputies; second suspect in hospital

One of the suspects believed to have been involved in a deputy-involved shooting and late-night pursuit on Highway 14 last week is set to appear in court Tuesday.

Dain E. Sanderson, 31, of Ferndale, was arrested after his alleged involvement in a vehicle pursuit that took deputies from Palmdale through Santa Clarita and the Newhall Pass. Before and during the chase, Sanderson and another suspect are believed to have shot at the Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies, as well as at their helicopter, according to sheriff’s officials.

The second suspect remains in a medical facility, according to Lt. Mike Merion of the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station.

Sanderson has been charged with a number of felonies, including attempted murder. His bail has been set at $6.46 million, according to Sheriff’s Department booking logs. Officials with the Sheriff’s Department and District Attorney’s Office were not immediately available to discuss any additional potential charges.

The March 5 pursuit began, according to Lt. Robert Westphal of the Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau, after the two suspects reportedly shot at deputies in Palmdale from their vehicle.

They then drove onto Highway 14 heading south with deputies in pursuit at approximately 9:30 p.m.

“During that pursuit

the occupants of the suspect vehicle fired several rounds at the airship,” Westphal said, adding that there were at least two instances on the freeway where the suspects are believed to have shot at pursuing law enforcement.

Deputies had also deployed a spike strip, which partially disabled the suspect vehicle, according to Westphal.

Eventually, the suspects stopped near the Interstate 210 and Interstate

5 interchange, where the suspect then jumped out of the vehicle, Sheriff’s Department officials said, adding he was shot in the leg and struck by a vehicle before deputies caught up to him on foot and detained him.

Sanderson was arrested and booked at the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station early Friday morning.

Sanderson is set to appear today at the Michael Antonovich Antelope Valley Courthouse.

Dan Watson/The Signal Law enforcement personnel trail a vehicle Thursday night along Highway 14 from Palmdale through Santa Clarita and the Newhall Pass. The pursuit ended near the Interstate 5 and Interstate 210 interchange, and two suspects were apprehended.