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(The Oregonian/OregonLive)

A 23-year-old man wanted by authorities grabbed a loaded gun and drugs and fled a car crash moments after a Vancouver police officer shot him Saturday, court records show.

Dominic Tovar on Wednesday made his first appearance in a Clark County Superior Court, where a judge set $300,000 bail.

Vancouver police Officer Ken Suvada was in an uptown Walgreens parking lot helping a state corrections officer who had spotted Tovar, who had a felony warrant for "escape from community custody," Clark County Sheriff's Office deputy Fred Neiman Jr. wrote in a probable cause affidavit.

Suvada approached Tovar from the rear and told him to shut off the parked blue Crown Victoria he was in, according to the affidavit. Instead, the car began to back up toward the Suvada, striking his leg before the officer backed away and avoided further impact.

As Tovar switched gears from reverse to drive, Suvada shot what appeared to be five times at the suspect, according to the affidavit. Video obtained by KPTV shows Suvada firing his weapon during the confrontation.

Tovar drove away from the store at 2521 Main St. before he crashed into a car near East 16th Street and Broadway Street, according to the affidavit. The driver of the other car is reported to have suffered injuries in the crash.

Tovar and a female passenger fled before officers caught them near East 15th and C streets, records show. Officers found a loaded .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun on Tovar, and police later released the female.

Neiman wrote that he interviewed Tovar, who told the deputy he was in the drugstore parking lot to sell oxycodone. He had a gun on the floorboard of his car, and he said he suffered gunshot wounds to the right arm, right shoulder and the right side of his back, according to the affidavit. After the crash, he grabbed the gun and placed it inside his waistband, according to the affidavit.

Officers later found 12 oxycodone pills inside a jacket removed from Tovar while he was being treated for his injuries, according to the affidavit. Neiman wrote Tovar has a criminal history with numerous drug-possession, bail jumping and malicious mischief charges.

Court records show officers accused Tovar of unlawful firearm possession, first-degree assault, a hit-and-run that caused injury, possession of drugs with intent to deliver and attempting to elude police. His arraignment is scheduled for March 15.

-- Tony Hernandez

thernandez@oregonian.com

503-294-5928

@tonyhreports