Man charged with attempted murder of Alameda County sheriff’s deputy

OAKLAND – Prosecutors on Monday charged a 34-year-old man with attempted murder for allegedly trying to run over an Alameda County sheriff’s deputy during a stolen vehicle investigation.

Joel Gonzalez is also charged with assault upon a peace officer, felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance with a firearm, two counts of unlawful driving or taking of a vehicle, and two counts of receiving stolen property, the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office said in a news release.

In addition, Gonzalez is charged with enhancements for causing great bodily injury and committing the alleged crimes while out on bail, according to prosecutors.

Gonzalez faces 20 years to life in prison if convicted of the charges. He is set to be arraigned Tuesday morning.

The incident happened around 8 a.m. on July 24 in the unincorporated community of Ashland. The district attorney’s office said Gonzalez was driving a stolen vehicle and used it to hit the deputy after the deputy deployed spike strips to stop the vehicle.

The deputy was thrown about 20 feet and suffered internal injuries, according to prosecutors.

In a news release Friday, the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office said the deputy survived and was “receiving medical treatment needed to recover from this traumatic incident.”

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