Suspected Freeway Snipers Behind Bars
Pellet gun possible weapon of choice
Friday, May 22, 2009 | Updated 8:22 AM PDT
Shawn Phillip Wagner and Rojelio Samuel Gomez
Two men were arrested Thursday in connection with a series of highway shootings over the last month in Fremont, a California Highway Patrol sergeant said.
Sgt. Trent Cross said Shawn Phillip Wagner, a 21-year-old Mariposa resident, and Rojelio Samuel Gomez, a 21-year-old Fremont man, are believed to have used a pellet gun in numerous shootings on Interstate Highway 680 between Mission Boulevard and Washington Street.
Additionally, the men are allegedly associated with nine isolated incidents on Interstate Highway 880, Cross said.
"We believe these are the only two suspects, however our investigation is still ongoing," Cross said Thursday night.
More than 40 drivers reported to the CHP that their vehicles had been struck over the last month on Highway 680. There were no reports of serious injuries.
The arrests followed an extensive investigation over the past two weeks in which the CHP obtained leads from the public and worked with local law enforcement agencies and the Alameda County District Attorney's Office.
The suspects were booked into county jails on 42 felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon and 43 counts of felony vandalism. Bail for Wagner, who was booked into Alameda County jail in Santa Rita, was set at $1.5 million and bail for Gomez, who was booked into Santa Clara County jail, was set at more than $1.3 million.
Copyright Bay City News / NBC Bay Area
