REGIONAL: Mendocino man wanted for murder captured in Glenn County
NORTH COAST, Calif. – A Little River man who authorities say shot the mother of his child on Sunday before fleeing has been captured in Glenn County.
Andrew Crowningshield, 27, was taken into custody in Elk Creek on Monday morning, according to Lt. Shannon Barney of the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office.
Shortly after 9 a.m. Sunday the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office responded to a report of a shooting in the 6000 block of North Highway 1 in Little River, Barney said.
Barney said the reporting party, victim Daniel Alonso, said that he and his friend, victim Autumn Smith, who also went by the last name of Johnson, were traveling southbound on North Highway 1 from Fort Bragg.
As they passed the area of Caspar they observed Crowningshield in his vehicle. Barney said Alonso reported that Crowningshield followed their vehicle as they drove south.
Crowningshield and Smith had a previous relationship together and they share a child in common, a 3-year-old boy. Barney said their relationship had ended over a year prior to this incident and they shared custody of the child.
In the 6000 block of North Highway 1 Smith pulled to the side of the road to talk to Crowningshield about their son and when she could pick up the child, Barney said.
Smith approached Crowningshield's vehicle and for reasons unknown at this time, Crowningshield fired numerous rounds at Smith, who fell to the ground, according to Barney’s report.
Barney said that Alonso told authorities that he believed Crowningshield also fired numerous rounds at him while he was seated in the other vehicle.
Alonso used Smith's vehicle to drive to a nearby business to report the shooting to the sheriff's office. At the same time, Barney said Crowningshield fled the area in a large four-wheel-drive Ford pickup.
Initially, Mendocino County Sheriff’s deputies were concerned that the 3-year-old boy might have been taken by Crowningshield but it was later learned to not be the case. Barney said deputies later found the child safe, with relatives, and learned he was not at the scene nor was he involved in the incident in any way.
Responding deputies and members of the Albion Litter River Fire Department arrived on scene and found Smith deceased. Barney said sheriff’s detectives were called to conduct the investigation while deputies, officers from the California Highway Patrol – both patrol units and a helicopter – as well as officers from the Ukiah Police Department and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife combed the area looking for the suspect.
Several reports came in the suspect may have been seen on the Comptche-Ukiah Road but deputies were unable to locate him, Barney said.
Barney said additional reports came in the suspect vehicle might have been seen on the Eel River Road leading to Lake Pillsbury. A be on the lookout was issued to all allied agencies to stop and arrest the suspect.
Just before 7 a.m. Monday, Crowningshield’s vehicle was spotted in Elk Creek in Glenn County. Barney said responding Glenn County Deputies observed Crowningshield near the vehicle and placed him into custody without incident.
Crowningshield was transported to the Mendocino County Jail where he was booked late Monday afternoon on an open charge of homicide and an open charge of attempted homicide. This is a no-bail status, Barney said.
The Mendocino County Sheriff's Office thanked all allied agencies who assisted and all citizens who called in information about possible sightings.