Man sentenced to prison for shooting CHP officer on freeway
Apr 23, 2024

SAN DIEGO — A man who shot an officer while on the Interstate 8 freeway was sentenced to 22 years and eight months in state prison, prosecutors said.

Yuhao Du, who had previously pleaded not guilty by a reason of insanity, was found guilty of attempted murder, personal use of a firearm, personal infliction of great bodily injury and taking an officer’s firearm, Shane Waller with the San Diego County District Attorney confirmed to FOX 5/KUSI.

On the evening of April 27, 2022, California Highway Patrol officer Tony Pacheco was investigating a traffic collision involving Du’s vehicle on eastbound I-8, located just under Interstate 805 in the Mission Valley area, according to law enforcement.

During the preliminary hearing, Pacheco said Du, whose face was bleeding, said he wanted to kill himself. Pacheco was puzzled by the statement and that’s when he said Du lunged towards him, put both of his hands on his service weapon and then the pair began violently fighting.

Shortly after, Pacheco said the pistol went off while still in his belt holster. He suffered a gunshot wound to his right thigh, tore a tendon in his left hand while punching Du and ended up hospitalized several times for blood clots in his lungs and leg.

Six people pulled over on the highway to help detain Du.

Du, through his attorney, offered an apology to Pacheco and his family during Tuesday’s sentencing, according to Waller. Pacheco, however, was not present for the sentencing and did not provide a victim impact statement.

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夺枪致巡警受伤 华人研究生被判近23年监
2024-04-27

曾经在加州大学圣地亚哥分校物理系读研究生的杜宇浩（Yuhao Du，音译）对“试图杀人罪”和“试图从执勤的治安官身上夺枪”的指控认罪，日前被判近23年监禁，他将被关在加州监狱。

杜宇浩在2022年11月因涉嫌在高速公路上夺巡警的枪导致巡警受伤而被起诉。辩护过程中他曾以精神错乱为由拒绝认罪，但在今年二月份，他与检控方重新达成认罪协议，对“试图杀人罪”和“试图从正在执勤的治安官身上夺枪”的罪名认罪，并同意了22年零8个月的刑期。法官在4月23日做出了正式判决。

2022年4月27日下午6时稍过，当时25岁的杜宇浩驾驶的车辆在行驶到圣地亚哥8号州际高速公路Mission Valley路段时，撞向隔离墩。当高速公路巡警到现场时，Yuhao Du试图抢夺巡警的枪，在他和巡警的搏斗过程中，巡警腰间的枪走火，导致巡警大腿中枪。

杜宇浩之前以精神错乱为由拒不认罪，但今年2月13日，他撤回以前的无罪申诉，承认有罪。

据媒体报导，Yuhao Du在事件发生前在加州大学圣地亚哥分校（UCSD）物理系读研究生。该校物理系一名教授的网站上曾显示，Yuhao Du自2015年在该系读本科生。该网站在事件发生不久后已经更新，Yuhao Du的信息和照片不再出现。

在2022年底举行的一个听证会上，一名采访杜宇浩的加州高速公路巡警作证，被告表示自己有精神健康问题，导致他在抢枪事件发生前曾多次住院，而且他脑海中的声音命令他把自己的车撞向高速路中央的隔离墩。

受伤巡警是安东尼奥•“托尼”•帕切科(Antonio “Tony” Pacheco)。帕切科在之前的一次法庭作证时说，车撞到隔离墩后，杜宇浩下了车并站在车门边，不回答问话，而是“眼睛直勾勾地盯着我”。“过了一会儿，他问，我想杀了我自己，你能杀了我吗？”帕切科作证说，杜宇浩问了两次“你能杀了我吗？”他回答说，“不能”。

帕切科怀疑杜宇浩可能是酒驾或受毒品影响，而且他脸上有血，就准备呼叫救护车。但这时杜宇浩也冲向他去夺他腰间的手枪。

帕切科作证说，杜的双手都去抢他放在枪套里的枪。为了让杜宇浩松手， 帕切科“使出浑身解数”打了杜四拳，但无济于事。搏斗中他突然听到“啪”的一声响，然后感到大腿一阵剧痛，温暖的液体从腿上留下，他意识到自己受伤流血了，他想如果是动脉出血，他可能就要死了。

枪击发生后，几名路过的司机停下来，帮助受伤的巡警并制止了杜宇浩，直到警察到达现场。

除了枪伤，帕切科的手因用力打杜宇浩，也受了伤，他还因肺部和腿部出现血栓而多次住院。

据《圣地亚哥联合论坛报》2022年11月18日的一篇报导，根据当天听证会的一个证词，枪击事件发生前几周，杜宇浩被诊断出患有精神分裂症，他曾在当地多家精神病院接受治疗。

六名当时在现场帮助巡警的民众后来得到加州高速公路巡警局（CHP）的表彰。他们中有一名注册护士，用自己的背包带和帕切科的皮带帮助帕切科止血，还有一人用帕切科的电话呼叫帮助，并给他妻子打电话，也有的人用巡警的手铐帮助制伏杜宇浩，还有的人只是握着帕切科的手安慰他。

在2022年6月3日举行的表彰仪式上，CHP地区负责人斯科特帕克（Scott Parker）对这六名见义勇为民众说：“你们毫不犹豫地接近危险局势，并约束了嫌疑人，直到更多民众和急救人员到达现场。” 六名民众每人获得一个奖状。

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自撞車禍後涉嫌奪巡警槍 華人研究生認罪
2024-02-16

曾在加州大學聖地亞哥分校讀書的華人研究生杜宇浩（Yuhao Du，音譯）因涉嫌從一名高速公路巡警身上奪槍並導致巡警受傷而在2022年被起訴。近日，他承認有罪。其判決將在今年晚些時候宣判，預計26歲的Yuhao Du將被判23年監禁。

2022年4月27日下午6時稍過，杜宇浩駕駛的車輛在聖地亞哥8號州際高速公路Mission Valley路段自撞到隔離墩上，當高速公路巡警到現場時，Yuhao Du試圖搶奪巡警的槍，過程中槍走火，導致巡警腿部中槍。

杜宇浩之前以精神錯亂為由拒不認罪，但2月13日，他撤回以前的無罪申訴，承認有罪。

在2022年底舉行的一個聽證會上，一名採訪杜宇浩的加州高速公路巡警作證，被告表示自己有精神健康問題，導致他在搶槍事件發生前曾多次住院，而且他腦海中的聲音命令他把自己的車撞向高速路中央的隔離墩。

事發之前，杜宇浩是加州大學聖地亞哥分校物理系的研究生。

受傷巡警是安東尼奧•「托尼」•帕切科(Antonio “Tony” Pacheco)。帕切科在之前的一次法庭作證時說，車撞到隔離墩後，杜宇浩下了車並站在車門邊，不回答問話，而是「眼睛直勾勾地盯著我」。「過了一會兒，他問，我想殺了我自己，你能殺了我嗎？」帕切科作證說，杜宇浩問了兩次「你能殺了我嗎？」他回答說，「不能」。

帕切科懷疑杜宇浩可能是酒駕或受毒品影響，而且他臉上有血，就準備呼叫救護車。但這時杜宇浩也衝向他去奪他腰間的手槍。

帕切科作證說，杜的雙手都去搶他放在槍套裡的槍。為了讓杜宇浩鬆手， 帕切科「使出渾身解數」打了杜四拳，但無濟於事。搏鬥中他突然聽到「啪」的一聲響，然後感到大腿一陣劇痛，溫暖的液體從腿上留下，他意識到自己受傷流血了，他想如果是動脈出血，他可能就要死了。

槍擊發生後，幾名路過的司機停下來，幫助受傷的巡警並制止了杜宇浩，直到警察到達現場。

除了槍傷，帕切科的手因用力打杜宇浩，也受了傷，他還因肺部和腿部出現血栓而多次住院。

據《聖地亞哥聯合論壇報》2022年11月18日的一篇報導，根據當天聽證會的一個證詞，槍擊事件發生前幾週，杜宇浩被診斷出患有精神分裂症，他曾在當地多家精神病院接受治療。

六名當時在現場幫助巡警的民眾後來得到加州高速公路巡警局（CHP）的表彰。他們中有一名註冊護士，用自己的背包帶和帕切科的皮帶幫助帕切科止血，還有一人用帕切科的電話呼叫幫助，並給他妻子打電話，也有的人用巡警的手銬幫助制伏杜宇浩，還有的人只是握著帕切科的手安慰他。

在2022年6月3日舉行的表彰儀式上，CHP地區負責人斯科特帕克（Scott Parker）對這六名見義勇為民眾說：「你們毫不猶豫地接近危險局勢，並約束了嫌疑人，直到更多民眾和急救人員到達現場。」 六名民眾每人獲得一個獎狀。

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CHP officer recounts being shot on I-8 last April
Nov 18, 2022

SAN DIEGO — The California Highway Patrol officer who was shot in the leg while trying to help a driver on the Interstate 8 freeway last spring spoke out for the first time on Friday during a preliminary hearing for the suspect.

Yuhao Du, 25, is charged with attempted murder of a peace officer.

“I was in fear of my life, he was reaching for my pistol, that’s never happened to me,” said Tony Pacheco, the officer who was shot on April 27 in Mission Valley. “I was convinced he was going to use that gun on me.”

Pacheco says he will never forget the encounter with Du after an altercation on I-8 following Du’s car crash.

“He had a blank stare on his face, a thousand-yard stare,” Pacheco said. “It appeared as if he
was staring right through me.”

The 32-year-old claims the defendant, whose face was bleeding, said he wanted to kill himself. Pacheco was puzzled by the statement.

“I responded with what? And then he said, ‘Can you kill me?’” Pacheco said.

Moments later, he testified Du lunged towards him, put both of his hands on his service weapon and then the pair began violently fighting.

The pistol went off while still in Pacheco’s belt holster.

”I heard a loud pop, my ears are ringing,” the officer said. “I felt this extreme pain went down my leg, followed by some numbness, warm liquid running down my leg.”

In addition to the gunshot wound, Pacheco tore a tendon in his left hand while punching Du and ended up hospitalized several times for blood clots in his lungs and leg.

“I’m fighting this individual who has superhuman strength. I feel like once the gun went off and the blood was pouring, as if it gave him more strength. He just kept going. The only option I had was to get him off me and fight, that was it,” Pacheco said.

Pacheco added that his “only chance of survival was winning that fight.”

Superior Court Judge Aaron Katz ordered Du to stand trial. Du had previously pleaded not guilty by a reason of insanity. He remains in custody without bail. If he’s convicted, he could face 40 years to life in prison.

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Man accused in CHP officer’s shooting pleads insanity
May 10, 2022

SAN DIEGO (CNS) – A man accused of trying to grab a California Highway Patrol officer’s gun during an altercation on Interstate 8 in Mission Valley, leaving the lawman shot in the leg, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity Tuesday to charges that include attempted murder of a peace officer.

Yuhao Du, 25, is accused of lunging for CHP Officer Antonio “Tony” Pacheco’s service weapon on April 27, causing the gun to fire as the two men grappled over the pistol.

The events that led to the shooting began at about 6:15 p.m., when Du, a graduate student studying physics at UC San Diego, crashed his vehicle on eastbound Interstate 8 near the I-805 overpass, according to the CHP.

A short time later, Pacheco pulled over alongside the freeway at the site of the wreck and contacted Du, who was standing in the center-median area, CHP spokesman Jake Sanchez said.

As Pacheco was speaking with him, Du allegedly attacked him without warning, “lunging for his service gun” and “trying to take control of it,” Sanchez said.

After Pacheco was shot in the thigh, Sanchez said “several passing motorists stopped to assist the injured officer by providing medical aid and restraining Du until additional law enforcement (personnel) arrived.”

The gunshot injuries suffered by Pacheco, who has two young children and whose wife, Janette, is pregnant, will require “a lengthy rehabilitation and potential surgeries,” according to a GoFundMe.com page seeking donations to help the family with expenses during his recuperation.

A message dated last week on the page states that Pacheco was initially released from the hospital, then re-admitted due to “serious complications from the gunshot wound.”

Along with attempted murder, Du is charged with felony counts of assault on a peace officer with a semi-automatic firearm and removing and taking a firearm from an officer.

He remains in custody without bail. Following his plea Tuesday morning, the next steps will involve having him examined by doctors.

One of Du’s attorneys, Anna Demidchik, said the plea was “a difficult decision for us to make.” The attorney said the decision was discussed “extensively with Mr. Du, but we believe that under the circumstances, it’s the best way to go.”

With Demidchik translating, Du’s mother, Xiugin Li, made a statement outside court after her son’s arraignment, in which she said, “We really hope that Officer Pacheco can recover as quickly as possible. What happened must be extremely traumatizing, not just for the officer … but also for his family.”

Li said she recently traveled to San Diego from China “to support my son during this trying time.”

She said, “Yuhao has always been a very good, responsible, and hard- working kid … It breaks my heart to see him in this situation. But I trust the American justice system to get to the bottom of the problem and to find the right resolution.”

Regarding the specifics of the case, Demidchik reiterated statements she’d made at Du’s prior court appearance, in which she said videos on social media have showed what happened in the aftermath of the incident, but not the event itself.

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CHP officer hospitalized in freeway shooting
Apr 27, 2022

SAN DIEGO – A California Highway Patrol officer was shot Wednesday on a major freeway in San Diego, causing it to shut down, authorities said.

The incident happened around 6:15 p.m. on eastbound Interstate 8, located just under Interstate 805 in the Mission Valley area, Captain Michael Harris of CHP said during a press conference Wednesday evening.

The officer “was investigating a traffic collision when he became involved in a struggle with a pedestrian, resulting in a single gunshot,” Harris said.

The male officer, who was not identified, was wounded in his right thigh and is in serious but stable condition at Scripps Mercy Hospital in Hillcrest, the CHP official confirmed. No details were released on how the officer was shot.

Harris said Good Samaritans were able to help subdue a suspect — described as a 25-year-old San Diego man — who is currently in custody and will be booked on appropriate charges “once they are explored and determined.”

Lanes on I-8 at I-805 were closed in both directions for several hours while CHP completed their investigation. However, all lanes have since been reopened.

FOX 5’s Liberty Zabala captured video of the heavy traffic along the major freeway.

More information is planned to be released later this evening or Thursday morning, Harris added.

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