Dash cam footage of Prunedale officer-involved shooting released

COUNTY OF MONTEREY, Calif. (KION-TV) -- Five days after a deadly officer-involved shooting, the Monterey County D.A. has identified the CHP officer who shot and killed a man while responding to a crash near Prunedale.

The newly released dashcam video this morning.

The Monterey County District Attorney’s Office released the identity of the office they say shot and killed a man with a knife on Saturday.

A newly released video shows CHP Officer Felix Prieto making contact with 42-year-old James Combs.

The incident took place Saturday evening on Highway 101 and Ralph Lane.

According to the D.A.’s office, the video shows Officer Prieto responding to a solo vehicle crash into a guardrail around 7 p.m.

Officer Prieto then checks on Combs saying “Hey man, are you ok?” “You ok, man?” and “You ok?”

The D.A.'s office says Combs is then seen walking towards Officer Prieto holding a knife saying "Drop the knife.”

Officer Preito could be heard repeating the command multiple times before they moved out of frame.

Officer Preito reportedly fired two shots at Combs, which proved to be fatal.

The D.A.'s office says the investigation is ongoing. Those with any additional information can call the D.A.'s office.

Officer Prieto was placed on administrative leave following the shooting.

Person killed in officer-involved shooting after crash in Monterey County identified

The Monterey County D.A. says they're investigating a CHP officer for shooting and killing a Salinas man while responding to reports of a crash on Saturday night.

The D.A. identified the man as 42-year-old James Frederick Combs.

According to the D.A., the CHP officer arrived at the scene at Highway 101 and Ralph Lane on March 15th.

The DA's office says that at 6:55 on Saturday, the CHP responded to a crash involving one car. At 7:07, an officer arrived, and one minute later, shots were fired. Combs was shot and killed by the CHP.

"The da's analysis is determining if a crime was committed and so we are evaluating a whole range of crimes from a very low-level assault up to first-degree murder and everything in between," said Lana Nassoura, Monterey County Assistant District Attorney.

The D.A. says this is the knife Combs had, a 3-and-a-half-inch folding knife, just before shots were fired.

How many shots were fired and where they landed on his body have not been released.

The purpose of our analysis and our investigation is to see if the use of force that the officer used amounted to a crime in the penal code," said Nassoura.

Lana says all the CHP vehicles are equipped with dash cams, but was not able to confirm if it captured the incident.

"It's on the front of the vehicles and it records incidents that happen in front of the vehicle. And so if the incident occurred in front of the vehicle and if the dash cam was on, there could be potentially video of the incident. An autopsy was performed yesterday. We will be able to determine any intoxication-controlled substances, alcohol, from the autopsy," said Nassoura.

The DA says the officer's identity will not be released at this time, but did tell me he was not injured and will be interviewing him tomorrow. That officer has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcoming of the investigation.