A Yucca Valley man died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound last week after a 90-minute high-speed pursuit on Southern California Freeways. The pursuit began shortly before 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 13, in Garden Grove when someone called police and advised them that a family member was expected to drop off stolen firearms. As officers approached the business, the suspect, Steven Richardson, a 42-year-old resident of Yucca Valley, fled in a white GMC U-Haul pickup. Officers pursued the truck to the Orange County border. An Anaheim police helicopter was involved in the pursuit as it made its way through Orange and Riverside counties on the 91 freeway before entering the northbound 215 freeway, continuing into San Bernardino County. CHP officers pursued the pickup on the north 215 to the north 15 into the Cajon Pass where CHP officers deployed spike strips; the driver’s side front tire blew out and quickly shredded. Officers conducted a traffic break to hold traffic behind the pursuit. At 6:02 p.m., the pursuit terminated on the right shoulder of northbound Interstate 15 north of State Route 138 in Devore. After a gunshot was heard, Steven Richardson was found inside the vehicle with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was transported by paramedics to Desert Valley Hospital in Victorville where he later died from his injuries. A semi-automatic gun and a gun safe were found in the vehicle. The Garden Grove Police Department and the California Highway Patrol – San Bernardino Area, are investigating the incident.
