A Mariposa County sheriff’s deputy was in critical condition Thursday afternoon after he was shot twice, including once in the face, during a brief gunfight with a Merced man earlier in the day, deputies said.
The deputy, whose name was not released, was receiving treatment at a Modesto hospital, according the Kristi Mitchell, a Sheriff’s Department’s spokeswoman.
The deputy was described as a 10-year veteran of the department, and a husband and father.
The suspect was identified as Brian Ballasch, 35, of Merced, the Sheriff’s Department said in a news release.
The department said the shooting occurred around 6 a.m. after a deputy attempted to stop a vehicle driving erratically on Highway 49, just south of Mariposa. Deputies said Ballasch crashed his vehicle into a deputy’s car. Ballasch then got out of his vehicle and, after a brief verbal exchange, opened fire, possibly with a .45-caliber pistol, according to deputies.
Deputies described Ballasch as a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Ballasch had been the subject of an officer-safety bulletin issued on Wednesday by the Merced Police Department. Such bulletins commonly circulate within law-enforcement agencies as advisories for officers. The bulletin on Ballasch was shared only within the Merced department, Merced Police Capt. Bimley West confirmed in a telephone interview.
The bulletin was based on information the department received from San Benito Sheriff’s Department, West said, and that information was “advisory only.”
“There was no information about him being a possible threat or having any weapons,” West said. “The information was only that he was that he had family connections in the city of Merced and that he was a military veteran going through (emotional) problems. It was only for our officers to know that information if they came into contact with him.”
The bulletin was not about any criminal activity. It was not a warrant for arrest or questioning in connection with any incidents, West said.
“There were no violations of law alleged and no reason to believe he was any type of threat,” West said. “Had there been any information like that, we would’ve sent that to other agencies in the region, but there was nothing to indicate any type of danger at all.”
Three other deputies were involved in the incident. It was not clear exactly how many fired weapons. All three have been placed on paid-administrative leave, which is standard procedure in officer-involved shootings, officials said.
Ballasch also was shot at least once by deputies. He was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder of a peace officer. He was receiving treatment at a regional hospital and listed in “stable” condition, deputies said.
The pistol Ballasche allegedly used was seized as evidence.
Authorities said it was too early to comment on the number of shots that were fired.
Tribune News Service
