Critical Incident Review 3-5-25

Описание: On February 4, 2025, at 11:17 p.m., Kern County Sheriff's Office Deputies assigned to the Air Support Unit responded to a report of a stolen vehicle near E. California Avenue and Chamberlain Avenue in East Bakersfield. A deputy assigned to Metro Patrol responded to the area of Edison Highway and Sterling Road and initiated a traffic stop on the stolen vehicle.

The driver, later identified as Raul Candido, age 24, fled and a pursuit was initiated. After driving through a field and damaging a fence, Candido fled west on Highway 58. Upon exiting on Fairfax Road, Candido drove through a fence of a local business on the 6400 block of East Brundage Lane, damaging the perimeter of the parking embankment and disabling the stolen vehicle.

At the termination of the pursuit, in the area of Brundage Lane and Fairfax Road, ​​​​​​​Candido and the passenger, later identified as Stephen Romo, age 27, fled on foot. An officer involved shooting occurred. There we no injuries.

The driver, Raul Candido, age 24, was charged with reckless evading, evading in the opposite direction of traffic, motor vehicle theft, possession of a controlled substance, possession of burglary tools and out of county warrants. Candido was arrested on charges of reckless evading a peace officer, possession of a controlled substance, driving under the influence of narcotics, possession of a stolen vehicle, vehicle theft, conspiracy to commit a crime and possession of burglary tools.

The passenger, Stephen Romo, age 27, was charged with reckless evading, evading in the opposite direction of traffic, possession of a controlled substance with priors, possession of controlled substance paraphernalia, and out of county warrants.

On March 5, 2025, Kern County Sheriff's Office convened an incident review board examining the use of force in this incident. The use of force was determine to be within policy. 

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Kern County Sheriff's Office at (661)861-3110 or Kern Secret Witness at (661)322-4040.