Madera County manhunt ends after shooting suspect arrested

FRESNO, California (KFSN) -- Tense moments Thursday morning for law enforcement in Madera County as deputies searched for a shooting suspect. Deputies said Albaro Molina, 26, shot a woman from his car, then crashed into her car. It happened along Avenue 7, near roads 24 and 25.

His was truck-mangled, making you wonder how Molina managed to get up and run away. Moments before, Madera County Sheriff's officials said he shot a woman from his car along avenue seven.

"It appears that the people in the two different cars got into some kind of fight and shots were fired. The suspect vehicle ended up colliding with the other vehicle and then into a power pole,' said Commander Bill Ward, Madera County Sheriff's Office.

The investigation revealed that the woman who was shot was Molina's sister, but sheriff's officials do not believe she was the intended target. They say the argument was over relationship issues.

After he ran, law enforcement started looking for him. The Sheriff's office said they received help from other agencies, allowing them to secure a strong perimeter.

"When deputies arrived, we set up a perimeter, we got assistance from Fresno Sheriff's Office with some k9 units. We had highway patrol on scene, we had highway patrol's helicopter, H-40 was assisting," said Ward.

Just after 10 a.m. deputies found Molina hiding in an orchard. Later they found a handgun in his truck. They said he was from La Vina, about five minutes from the crime scene.

At La Vina Market, the managers know just about everyone who lives nearby, including Molina.

"I was pretty shocked to hear that cause I've known the guy he comes in here often. He's always buying his stuff from over here," said Ali Sharhan, La Vina Market manager.

Both vehicles were eventually towed away. The condition of the truck was telling of the tense situation that unfolded in a normally quiet part of Madera County.

The woman who was shot is recovering at a hospital in Fresno and is expected to make a full recovery. The sheriff's office will be interviewing the driver of the car she was in to get more details about what happened.