Sheriff Tyson Pogue says what started as a burglary call escalated to a physical fight between a suspect and a deputy near a busy road.
He says that if it weren't for several drivers passing by at the time, the deputy might not have survived.
"We're so extremely lucky for those brave passersby who stopped and helped her out. It could have ended up so tragic," said Pogue.
Saturday, crime scene tape was left littered across a rural community near Avenue 12 and Road 35 just west of the Madera Ranchos -- A reminder of the previous night's chaos that left a man dead and closed off several streets for hours.
The Madera County Sheriff's Office says just after 4:30 Friday afternoon, someone reported seeing a man they didn't know on their security cameras inside their home.
Minutes later, another call came in about a man walking away from the home and into the middle of Avenue 12 with a crowbar.
Residents in the area say the suspect began throwing rocks at passing vehicles.
One resident says he spoke with a driver whose car was hit.
"It just tore up the whole side of his car, all the glass," said resident Chad Covington. "He was shocked. He said cars were almost getting in wrecks."
Soon after, a Madera County deputy arrived and tried to detain the suspect, but it quickly turned into a fight in the middle of the road.
The department says the man got hold of the deputy's taser and used it on her.
Officials say several good Samaritans came to the deputy's aid, one of whom pulled the Taser probes off her arm.
Even then, Sheriff Tyson Pogue says the man would not stop fighting.
"After he fired that taser at the deputy, he then was trying to remove the deputy's firearm, which goes without saying, is a very dangerous and very volatile situation," said Pogue.
Pogue says that at that point, the deputy shot the suspect.
Life-saving measures were taken, but he died at the scene.
The shooting left residents shaken, yet grateful for the deputy's actions.
"I wanted to shake her hand and thank her," said Covington. "I could only imagine how traumatic that is for her."
The deputy suffered only minor injuries and is currently on paid administrative leave per the department's standard protocol.
Pogue says she was wearing a body-worn camera at the time of the incident, and the footage is under investigation.
MSCO is working to identify the suspect.
The California Department of Justice is also investigating.
Kerry Mannix is a general assignment reporter for ABC30 Action News. For news updates, follow her on Instagram.