Los Angeles: On August 27, 2002, at approximately 5:55 p.m., Harbor Area Officers Ross Nemeroff, 34 years of age, 7 years with the Department, and Gregg Jacobus, 29 years of age, 3 years with the Department, conducted a traffic stop at Pacific Street and 9^th Street along with a LAPD motorcycle officer. While Officer Nemeroff spoke with the driver, Michael Collins, male White, 44 years of age, started his vehicle and fled southbound on Pacific Street. The motorcycle officer initiated a pursuit of Collins’ vehicle, as Officers Nemeroff and Jacobus ran to their police vehicle. A sergeant with the Los Angeles Port Police Department entered the pursuit as the secondary unit behind the LAPD unit. Collins’ vehicle collided with a guardrail at the intersection of Beacon Street and 17^th Street after approximately two minutes, which terminated the pursuit.

As the officers deployed on Collins’ vehicle, Collins, still seated in the driver’s seat, produced a semi-automatic pistol. The officers ordered Collins to drop the pistol, but he did not comply and turned his body and the pistol towards the officers. Officers Nemeroff and Jacobus and the Port Police sergeant, in fear for their lives, fired their service pistols, wounding Collins in the right shoulder area.

Collins was transported to Harbor UCLA Medical Center in stable condition. He has been booked for Assault with Deadly Weapon on a Police Officer and is being held without bail.

This press release was prepared by Sergeant John Pasquariello, Assistant Officer-in-Charge, Media Relations Section, 213-485-3586.