Man accused of shooting at probation officers

Two Pima County probation officers were chased across the city's southside Monday night by a man who fired several gunshots at their car, authorities said.

The chase ended about 9:30 p.m. on North Fourth Avenue just south of East University Boulevard after the man shot out a tire, causing the officers' unmarked vehicle to crash into a parked car.

Pancho Joseph Garcia was booked into the Pima County jail on numerous charges, including two counts of suspicion of attempted murder, said Sgt. Fabian Pacheco, a Tucson Police Department spokesman.

The two Pima County Juvenile Court probation officers had gone to visit a home on the Tohono O'odham Nation southwest of Tucson to conduct but no one was there, court spokeswoman Margaret Singleton said.

The probation officers were driving away when they noticed a Dodge Durango following them, she said.

The man driving the Durango began firing at their officers' vehicle and continued to do so as he chased them into the city and across the south side, downtown and the west side before the crash, Pacheco said.

After crashing the officer got out of the vehicle and showed her badge. Garcia then dropped his weapon and surrendered, officials said.

The officers' vehicle had numerous bullet holes in it but no one was injured, Pacheco said.

It was not known if Garcia had any connection to the home the probation officers were visiting, authorities said.

Garcia told police he thought the probation officers were trying to burglarize the home, Singleton said.

Such an allegation isn't cause for chasing after and firing at someone, Pacheco said.

"If you're concerned about something . . . call the police, get a license plate," Pacheco said. "This person was determined to catch up with them."

Article written by/or information provided by By Brian J. Pedersen Arizona Daily Star