Edit 10:00 a.m. An error in court records showed that Bloomer was facing a charge of Murder, but the DA’s office confirmed that he is only facing charges for attempted murder. The Sheriff’s Department confirmed that no one was killed in the incident. We’ve updated the story to reflect the correction.
The man accused of driving a Corvette into two different law enforcement vehicles is facing charges of murder and attempted murder.
On Monday (December 16) at around 1:00 p.m., the Sheriff’s Department reports that they attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a Corvette on Twentynine Palms Highway near Torres Avenue in Joshua Tree. They say the driver Stephen Bloomer, a 57 year-old resident of Twentynine Palms failed to yield, and his high speed and erratic driving led the deputy to cancel the pursuit.
Deputies say Bloomer was spotted in his Corvette a while later at the Morongo Valley Circle K, where a California Highway Patrol officer attempted to detain him. The Sheriff’s Department said that Bloomer reversed his Corvette into the CHP car, then into an arriving Sheriff’s car, injuring the deputy inside.
The Sheriff’s deputy was taken to a hospital for minor injuries and has since been released.
Bloomer was arrested on the scene for investigation into attempted murder.
The Sheriff’s Department indicated that the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s office filed two counts of attempted murder against Bloomer.
Stephen Bloomer is currently being held on $1,000,000.
