Clovis man shot and killed after pulling gun on CHP officers responding to crash on Highway 41

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Fresno County Sheriff's Office is investigating a deadly officer-involved shooting that killed a Clovis man.

The man shot and killed by a California Highway Patrol officer has been identified as 24-year-old Billy Kongphouthakhoun.

Around 11:45 p.m. Wednesday, the CHP received a call for a two-vehicle crash on southbound Highway 41 near Manning.

Officers say Kongphouthakhoun was speeding and rear-ended a Chevy Tahoe, and the force caused it to overturn.

Authorities say Kongphouthakhoun wouldn't cooperate with CHP officers who believed he had been driving under the influence.

They began questioning Kongphouthakhoun, but he wanted no part of it.

"They began to give a series of field sobriety checks as they were conducting their investigation, at which time the driver became agitated, uncooperative, exited his vehicle," said Mike Salas of the California Highway Patrol.

That was when Kongphouthakhoun pulled out a gun and a CHP officer shot him several times, according to authorities.

He was rushed to the hospital where he later died from his injuries.

Investigators say Kongphouthakhoun had only been out of prison for a few months. After skipping out on a DUI charge that involved another crash in 2014, Clovis Police made him the Wanted Wednesday felon.

Court records show his blood alcohol content was .23 at the time.

The latest victims - a driver and passenger in the Tahoe - had minor injuries, but they, along with several others, were still at the crash scene when the shooting unfolded.

Investigators are now trying to figure out where the suspect was coming from before the crash and where he was headed.

Tests taken during an autopsy will also give them insight into whether he had any drugs or alcohol in his system at the time of the confrontation.

The suspect was also driving on a suspended license - and on probation from his former DUI.