Village News - Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma

A San Diego County Sheriff’s deputy from the Fallbrook substation shot a transient who attacked him with a baseball bat the morning of Dec. 21.

The incident occurred at 4:30 a.m. when Fallbrook deputies were performing surveillance in the area of Reche Road and Ranger Road looking for a male suspect who on three occasions – at 8 p.m. Dec. 19 and at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Dec. 20 – attacked people sitting in their cars with a bat.

The unprovoked attacks on three male victims resulted in damage to the vehicles – primarily shattered windows – and one victim having to go to a hospital for treatment of injuries. All three escaped by driving away.

A deputy working the stakeout was parked in an unmarked car near the intersection of Reche and Ranger when the suspect, 30-year-old Jesus Cirilo Rodriguez of Fallbrook, attacked him.

“Deputies were in the area doing surveillance when one of the deputies in an unmarked car was attacked by a suspect with a bat and ultimately was forced to defend himself and that suspect was shot,” said Lt. Rich Williams of the sheriff’s homicide unit. “The suspect approached the deputy’s vehicle – just like the other victims in the area – unprovoked and smashed the window and attacked the deputy with the bat.”

Rodriguez was transported by ambulance to Palomar Hospital, where he underwent surgery to treat multiple gunshot wounds to his torso, according to Williams. He is expected to survive and was arrested for two counts of assault of a peace officer with a deadly weapon. His bail was set at $100,000.

The deputy, who was showered by broken glass, sustained a laceration to his forehead.

Rodriguez was believed to be living in his car, which was located behind bushes in the area of the assaults. Investigators believe he is responsible for the three other attacks.

Lt. Rick Lopez of the Fallbrook substation said his unit is investigating the first three attacks and that homicide is handling the deputy-involved shooting. Lopez asked that anyone who has any information about the attacks or witnessed any similar criminal activity in the area to call the Fallbrook substation at (760) 451-3100.