Sheriff releases bodycam video of Denair man who died after crashing into patrol cars
The Stanislaus County sheriff’s office released footage of a critical incident in which a 39-year-old man, who was threatening to commit suicide, drove more than 100 mph and crashed into patrol cars on South Hickman Road near Denair.
Following the crash, the man identified as Javier Cueto-Aldaz was taken to a local hospital and died from his injuries, authorities said.
The Sheriff’s Department on Tuesday released footage of the June 14 incident taken from body cameras and a helicopter.
Video of the first part of the incident was shot from an aircraft over the home where Cueto-Aldaz lived in the 4300 block of Hickman Road.
At about 7:45 p.m., a woman reported that her husband was suicidal and threatening to harm himself with a knife.
The aerial camera shows Cueto-Aldaz standing next to a white car in the driveway and picking up a rifle. The man pumps the rifle a few times, leading deputies to say they believe it’s a pellet gun.
According to the narrator, Cueto-Aldaz told a negotiator repeatedly he would commit suicide and harm law enforcement officers. A trained negotiator had reached the suicidal man by telephone and tried to deescalate the situation, authorities have said.
Cueto-Aldaz also threatened to crash his vehicle into cars, according to the video. Deputies advised that units shut down traffic on South Hickman Road.
After 2 1/2 hours of negotiations, Cueto-Aldaz is shown placing objects into a pickup truck. He puts the rifle in the front seat.
Aerial footage shows the pickup going more than 100 mph northbound on Hickman Road toward sheriff patrol cars blocking the roadway. The pickup crashes into parked patrol cars and overturns.
The pickup traveled for 45 seconds before ramming into the sheriff vehicles, the video says.
The Sheriff’s Department included body camera footage from deputies on the ground, who had fallen back to safe positions in an adjacent orchard before the impact.
On the video, deputies run up to the overturned pickup. One deputy uses an extinguisher on a small fire on the pickup.
After the driver is pulled away from the wreckage, deputies determine that Cueto-Aldaz is breathing. The man stops breathing, prompting deputies to perform CPR.
At the end of the video, authorities posted a county emergency line for people to call for help in a mental health crisis. The number is (209) 558-4600.
Efforts to reach members of Cueto-Aldaz’s family were not successful Wednesday.
Sgt. Tom Letras said the incident near Denair is not classified as an officer-involved death because no actions were taken by deputies against Cueto-Aldaz. The camera footage was released to demonstrate that mental health crises are often traumatic and dangerous for everyone involved, Letras said.
Authorities confirmed the rifle placed in the pickup was a pellet gun. Cueto-Aldaz was not in possession of a firearm, Letras said.
Deputies blocked the roadway more than a mile away from the home because of the possibility the rifle was a lethal weapon, he said.
“It was a tough situation for the negotiator,” Letras said. “There were times he thought (Cueto-Aldaz) would surrender. He ultimately made the decision to take his own life.”
This story was originally published June 23, 2021 at 12:48 PM.
