Suspected auto thief allegedly tries to run over three deputies in front of Harrah's Rincon Casino

VALLEY CENTER - At least one deputy opened fire today on a suspected auto thief -- missing him -- when the suspect allegedly tried to run three of them over with a stolen pickup truck in front of Harrah's Rincon Casino.

The uninjured suspect made a failed attempt to evade arrest by fleeing on foot following the law enforcement shooting, which happened about 1:15 p.m. in a parking area at the gaming resort in rural Valley Center, sheriff's spokeswoman Jan Caldwell said.

Deputies had been waiting outside the casino for the suspect to emerge after finding the truck -- reported stolen in Escondido -- parked in the lot, according to Caldwell.

When the still-unidentified man left the gambling hall, he allegedly ignored the deputies' orders to surrender and tried to leave in the pickup.

The shooting was moments later, after the suspect accelerated the vehicle in reverse directly toward the three deputies, Caldwell told news crews.

Following the gunfire, the man tried to drive the truck over a landscaped median but only managed to get it stuck on a roadside hedge, Caldwell said.

She said he then jumped out and ran into a nearby residential area, where deputies found him and took him into custody a short time later.

The incident resulted in no interruptions to the resort's casino or hotel operations, according to sheriff's officials.