UPDATE: REDDING: Two arrested after drug deal gone wrong leads to wild chase, gunfire

REDDING — Authorities announced the arrest of two men they say shot a Redding resident Sept. 23, during a dangerous car chase that traveled several miles. The pursuit wound its way through several streets in the downtown Redding area, past the Mt. Shasta Mall, west on Highway 44 and then exited at the Sundial Bridge exit.

During the early morning pursuit the tWo alleged suspects fired “numerous shots” at the vehicle they were chasing. One victim in the pursued vehicle was struck by the gunfire.

SEE ORIGINAL STORY: Officials investigating after shooting victim brought to hospital

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SEE RELATED: Officials ID three arrested in connection with early morning homicide after drug deal gone wrong

Following a two-week investigation into the wild chase that left one victim with a non-fatal, gunshot wound to the leg, City of Redding police officials arrested two alleged suspects. The two Redding residents, identified as 18-year-old, Chad Michael Tomblin and 22-year-old, Sean Nelson Magana, were arrested after the department’s SWAT members and other officers served search warrants at the men’s residences.

Authorities served the warrants Wednesday, Oct. 4, at 2199 Princeton Way and 1024 Nighthawk Lane. During the warrant services, officials arrested Tomblin for a warrant related to the investigation. Magana was detained for investigatory purposes. Both were taken into custody without incident and transported to the Department’s Investigations Division for questioning. After questioning, Magana was also arrested.

After their arrests, both Tomblin and Magana were booked into Shasta County Jail in Redding on suspicion of attempted homicide, shooting into an occupied vehicle and discharging a firearm from a vehicle, Redding Police Lt. Pete Brindley explained in a written press release after the arrests. Additionally, Magana was booked for possession of cocaine for sales.

The investigation into the chase and shooting began Sept. 23, about 3 a.m., when Tristan Taylor, 19, of Redding, was brought into Shasta Regional Medical Center’s emergency room suffering from a gunshot wound to the leg.

When Redding police officers first contacted Taylor and his friends the morning of the chase and shooting, they provided officials “with very little information,” said Brindley. In an earlier press release regarding the investigation, Redding Police Sgt. Shawn McGinnis said Taylor and others interviewed by officers the morning of the incident “gave several conflicting statements regarding what happened.”

Based on the circumstances and lack of cooperation from the victims, Redding PD’s Investigations Division assumed the investigation and spent the last two weeks conducting extensive follow-up into the dangerous incident.

During their investigation, detectives developed leads and gathered information that led them to determine the Sept. 23 incident began when Taylor and “several associates” met with Tomblin and Magana “to conduct a narcotics transaction,” Brindley explained.

The intended, early morning “transaction” took place in the Winco parking lot at 1050 Old Alturas Road. Officials did not specify the type or amount of narcotics Taylor and his “associates” were attempting to purchase from Tomblin and Magana; however, Magana was later charged with possession of cocaine for sales.

During the drug deal “something went wrong,” at which time Taylor and his friends  fled the area in their vehicle, according to Brindley, who explained, “Tomblin and Magana gave chase.”

As the dangerous pursuit made its way through downtown streets before heading onto and then off of Highway 44, at least one of the two men pursuing the other vehicle fired “numerous shots” at the vehicle Taylor and his friends were fleeing in.

“One of the rounds fired penetrated the vehicle and struck…Taylor,” said Brindley.

An online jail records search revealed both Tomblin and Magana remain in custody and both are being held on $500,000 bail.

In spite of Tomblin and Magana’s arrests, officials say their investigation is active and ongoing and have asked that anyone with additional information or who witnessed any portion of the incident is urged to contact the Redding Police Department Investigations Division at 225-4200. Callers can refer to incident file number 17-70443 and can remain anonymous.

 

Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, who recently moved from Riverside County to Shasta County, runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for Riverside County based newspapers Valley News, The Valley Chronicle and Anza Valley Outlook as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident.

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with other locations.