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The Napa County Sheriff’s Office has released a series of videos related to a shooting incident involving an American Canyon police officer in Vallejo. The footage was made public in response to a request for public records from the Vallejo Sun.
Missing Footage
Despite the extensive video release, none of the footage captured the actual shooting incident. Officer Joshua Coleman’s body camera batteries had died prior to the pursuit on January 11, and he was unable to recharge them. The sheriff’s office shared hours of video showcasing different aspects of the investigation, redacted pursuit videos, and footage of Coleman post-shooting.
Delayed Release
According to state law AB 748, the video footage was supposed to be released by February 26, 45 days after the incident occurred. However, the sheriff’s office released the footage two weeks later. The shooting took place after an officer tried to stop a vehicle for a violation near state Highway 29 and American Canyon Road at around 3:15 p.m.
Pursuit and Shooting
The pursuit continued into Vallejo’s Country Club Crest neighborhood, where the fleeing vehicle traveled through various streets before crashing into a fence on Souza Way. Multiple individuals fled from the vehicle, leading to a chase. Coleman and Officer Cassaundra Fallon pursued two suspects in different directions, eventually resulting in shots being fired.
Body Camera Footage
The released body camera video shows Coleman kneeling next to the wounded suspect, Demarea Vaughn Rogers III, and providing aid. Fallon handed her body camera to Coleman as his was not functioning. The video did not include footage of Fallon arriving at the scene or chasing the other suspect.
Legal Proceedings
Rogers pleaded no contest to charges related to the incident, while the second suspect, Jozan Amarion Hill, faces charges for evading police and firearm possession. The Solano County District Attorney’s Office possesses video evidence of the shooting, with the Napa County Sheriff’s Office unable to access it until the investigation is complete.
Officer History
Coleman, a former Vallejo police officer who joined the Napa sheriff’s office in 2018, has been involved in multiple shooting incidents during his career. He was previously implicated in the Vallejo police badge bending scandal. The sheriff’s office and district attorney’s office have faced criticism for withholding video evidence in past police shooting cases.
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