Officers Shoot, Kill Man Who Took Woman Hostage

Update 5:10 p.m.: An investigation is underway into an overnight deputy-involved deadly shooting in the Lake Tahoe region.

Just before 3:00 a.m. Friday, Placer County Sheriff's deputies tried to pull over a suspected drunk driver.

The pursuit took them from Tahoe City along Highway 89 toward Truckee.

Sheriff's spokeswoman Dena Erwin says spike strips helped stop the car.

She says the driver then got out and held a handgun to the head of his female passenger, dragging her along the roadway.

"There were CHP officers and Placer County Sheriff's deputies following him, trying to negotiate with him and he headed up a residential driveway to a home and with all that taken into account with everyone's safety taken into account, they had to shoot," says Erwin.

The Sheriff's office says the identity of the man who was shot will be released as soon as his family is notified.

The hostage was not physically injured.

Highway 89 is open again, after the investigation wrapped up earlier this afternoon.

Update 12:46 p.m.: California Highway Patrol says Highway 89 South between Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows is back open. The road was closed early Friday when a officers shot and killed a man who held a woman hostage at gunpoint. He also pointed his gun at deputies and passing vehicles.

- Capital Public Radio Staff

Update 8:15 a.m.: Officers shot and killed a driver suspected of drunken driving early Friday morning when he exited his car holding a female passenger hostage at gunpoint, according to the Placer County Sheriff's Office. He also pointed his gun at deputies and passing vehicles.

The Placer County Sheriff's Office also says CHP officers attempted to negotiate with the driver before shooting him as the driver walked up a residential driveway holding the hostage. Officers feared for the safety and lives of the hostage and people in the home the driver was approaching.

The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. 

The female hostage, CHP officers and deputies were uninjured.

Highway 89 between Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows is expected to stay closed for most of the day, according to Placer County Sheriff. A detour has been set up. Current snow conditions are causing some complications. 

- Capital Public Radio Staff

Original: (AP) - A portion of Highway 89 near Squaw Valley remains closed after officers shot and killed a person suspected of drunken driving.

KCRA reports the shooting happened sometime before 4 a.m. Friday on Highway 89 near Squaw Valley Road, according to the Placer County Sheriff's Office. The driver's name was not released.

Authorities say the incident began as California Highway Patrol officers followed the suspected drunken driver out of Tahoe City, where officers laid down spike strips.

The chase came to an end near Squaw Valley, although it's unclear what exactly led the officer to shoot.

The deputy was not injured.

Highway 89 is closed between Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows Road.

The CHP says this will be a long-term closure as the investigation is ongoing.

A detour has been set up.