17 News @ Sunrise 09/04/2024

Some of today's top stories

• Now to an update on a story we brought you yesterday... 
      A suspect is still on the run this morning... following a bizarre officer-involved shooting in northwest Bakersfield Monday night.
      A sheriff's deputy opened fire after allegedly being assaulted by a man who fled from a traffic stop.
      17's Connor Dore reports.
• From our 17 follow up file.
      Kern County Sheriff's Office is searching for the gunman in an a deadly Oildale shooting. Investigators are looking for Luis Villachana in connection to the shooting that happened last Thursday on Olympic Drive near Highland elementary school. Deputies responding to the scene found a woman suffering from a gunshot wound.
      She later died.
      Homicide detectives are investigating, and have not arrested any suspects.
      Anyone with information is urged to call 861-3110 or Kern Secret Witness at 322-4040.
• CHP officers were on maximum enforcement over the Labor Day weekend.
      During the 72-hour holiday enforcement effort, which began Friday evening, CHP officers made more than 1,100 arrests for driving under the influence and issued more than 27,000 citations.
      More than 16,000 of those were for speeding. 
• We are saddened to report a World War Two veteran and hard working member of our community has died. Joe Jackson Smith died last Monday at the age of 102.Joe Jackson Smith died last Monday at the age of 102. Smith grew up as the youngest of five on a family farm in Arkansas.
      During his service, he was one of the first RADAR operators... helping introduce the new technology to ships transporting troops across the North Atlantic and English Channel.
      Smith met his first wife, Jean Reader when he returned from the war.
      And they soon moved to Kern County to raise their two daughters.
      Smith and Jean were married 42 years before she died.
      He would go on to remarry twice--Birdie Barker, then Rose Jenkins--but he survived them both.
      Many will fondly remember him as their wedding officiant, a comfort in times of loss and a wise counseling voice.
      He's remembered as a witty cheerful man who would always show up for dessert--even if he missed the meal.