Deputy who shot and killed Chavez exonerated in similar 2016 incident

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Marin authorities say it will be weeks before a cause of death or other information regarding a fatal shooting involving Sonoma County sheriff's deputies can be released. Chief Deputy Coroner Roger Fielding told KRCB News it will be up to six weeks before a cause of death or other information can be shared, pending the completion of a toxicology report.

Authorities are investigating the death of thirty-six-year-old David Chavez , who was killed last Friday in a confrontation with law enforcement. Chavez had allegedly attempted to enter two different remote estates east of Healdsburg, breaking a window at each.

According to the sheriff office's narrative released Monday night, nearly four days after the killing, deputies pursued a barefoot Chavez for forty five minutes through thick brush after Chavez allegedly stole and crashed two vehicles. The pursuit ended in the bed of Franz Creek.

According to an official report by Santa Rosa Police, Deputy Michael Dietrick who fired his weapon, and Deputy Anthony Powers have been placed on paid administrative leave.

Last week's incident wasn't Dietrick's first fatal encounter with a suspect. In March 2016, while serving with Clearlake police, Dietrick fatally shot a burglary suspect during a struggle. Dietrick was exonerated following an investigation by the Lake County Sheriff's office. The District Attorney there declined to file charges.

A year later Dietrick became a Sonoma County deputy.

A vigil in Chavez's memory is being planned for Friday at 6:30 pm in Santa Rosa's Courthouse Square by the family and the North Bay Organizing Project.