Suspect in killing of California deputy has violent past
By Kathleen Ronayne, Paul Elias-AP | ABC News | August 31, 2017, 9:27 PM ETThomas Daniel Littlecloud (Courtesy: KRON4 affiliate KTXL), Priscilla Prendez (Courtesy:
Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department)The suspect in a hotel shootout that killed a California sheriff's deputy and wounded two CHP officers was wanted by federal authorities and has a long and violent criminal history, according to court records.
Thomas Daniel Littlecloud, 32, was in critical condition Thursday at a hospital with life-threatening injuries after the shootout a day before, Sacramento County sheriff's Sgt. Tony Turnbull said.
Littlecloud had been sentenced to California prisons on four separate occasions since 2004 for assault with a semi-automatic weapon, grand theft and evading a police officer.
Federal court records also show a judge ordered his arrest for twice failing to show up in court in July after agreeing to a plea deal to resolve a drug, gun and identity theft case.
Turnbull said Littlecloud used a high-powered rifle Wednesday to shoot through a closed door and wall and injure the two California Highway Patrol officers who were demanding to enter his hotel room. Littlecloud then went to the room's balcony and fatally shot Deputy Robert French before jumping to the parking lot and speeding away in a stolen car. Police caught up to Littlecloud a short distance away and arrested him after a brief shootout, Turnbull said.
The violence started after police went to the hotel to investigate a car theft ring and spotted two women drive away in a stolen vehicle. Officers arrested the two women after a high-speed pursuit. One was on probation.
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Priscilla Prendez, 23, of Oakland faces charges of vehicle theft and felony evasion in connection with Wednesday's events, which began as part of a routine stolen vehicle investigation.
She and another woman who were believed to be in a stolen vehicle were chased for 20 miles (32 kilometers) before being apprehended. Arresting officers learned Prendez was on probation and had booked a room in the hotel.
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