Calaveras County – An ambush of Calaveras County Sheriff’s Deputies on Monday afternoon led to a manhunt and search of a home near Highway 26 and Railroad Flat Road, and the arrest of a 54-year-old Calaveras County man.

Units from five agencies, including the Amador County Sheriff’s Department, assisted in the response, after a Calaveras “Special Enforcement Team” of officers were involved in a shooting, in which the officers were fired upon by what they believe was a shotgun, and returned fire on the suspect.

Richard Kenneth Cooper, 54, of Railroad Flat was arrested Monday night after allegedly firing a shotgun at Calaveras County Sheriff’s Deputies, and then fleeing on foot. He was captured in a nearby residence by a Calaveras County SWAT unit.

The Calaveras Sheriff’s Department announced details of the case in a release Tuesday morning, saying “one deputy received a slight injury from debris during the exchange of gunfire.”

The release said that at about 3 p.m. Monday, two uniformed Calaveras County Sheriff’s deputies in a “marked patrol car attempted a traffic enforcement vehicle stop near the intersection of Highway 26 and Railroad Flat road, and lost sight of the vehicle.”

The Calaveras Sheriff’s release said the “deputies checked behind an abandoned barn located approximately 500 yards south of Highway 26 and Railroad Flat Road. As the deputies rounded the corner of the barn in their patrol car, a suspect ambushed them, firing at least one round into the windshield of the patrol vehicle with what is believed to be a shotgun.”

“In response, the deputies fired their duty weapons from where they were seated in the patrol vehicle,” then took positions of cover and awaited units from other agencies to help set up a perimeter.

Investigators received information which led the Calaveras SWAT team to conduct a check of a residence in the immediate area, leading to Cooper’s arrest.

The officers who were ambushed are members of the Calaveras Sheriff’s “Special Enforcement Team,” which is “a newly formed unit focused on proactive law enforcement measures that targets high crime problem areas in Calaveras County,” the Calaveras Sheriff’s Department said in the release,” adding that Monday night was “the first shift for this team.”

As a matter of procedure, the deputies have been placed on administrative leave.

Responders helping set up the perimeter included the Amador County Sheriff’s Office, Angels Camp Police Department and the California Highway Patrol.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.