Police Wound Car Theft Suspect

San Diego police Monday night wounded a man suspected of stealing a car from a car dealership and robbing the salesman who took him for a test drive.

The shooting followed a brief chase through the streets of Southeast San Diego.

The victim, whose identity was not released Monday, was taken by paramedics to UC San Diego Medical Center, where he was listed in serious condition.

Police spokesman Bill Robinson said police received reports of a stolen car and armed robbery after a man accompanied by a salesman took a sports car from Pearson Ford for a test drive Monday afternoon.

Robinson said the man drove to the 700 block of 51st Street, where he told the salesman “that was as far as he was going to go.”

Robinson said the bandit took the salesman’s wallet and ordered him from the car.

Later in the afternoon, police noticed the car at 47th Street and Logan Avenue, and chased it to National Avenue and 36th Street.

There, an officer slid his motorcycle into the side of the car as the suspect fled on foot. Robinson said the officer fired at least two shots at the suspect. Robinson said he did not know if the suspect had fired at the officer.