Utah County Deputy Greg Sherwood remains in the hospital after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds to the head Thursday. However, authorities are optimistic about his condition as Sherwood was updated from critical to serious condition early this week.
"He’s showing signs of improvement," said Utah County Sherriff’s Office spokesman Sergeant Spencer Cannon. "We’re cautiously optimistic that he will continue to improve and eventually be able to be released and hopefully return to full active service with the sheriff’s office."
Police said Sherwood was shot in Santaquin Thursday while in pursuit of 27-year-old Jose Angel Garcia-Juaregui. They suspect Garcia-Juaregeui had killed Sergeant Cory Wride about an hour earlier.
Cannon said Wride approached the seemingly-abandoned vehicle and upon attempting to identify the driver and passenger, was shot and killed. Deputy Sherwood was in Santaquin when the description of the vehicle came through and he pursued Garcie-Juaregui.
"Somebody, an occupant of that vehicle that was being pursued, reached again through this back window of this pickup truck and fired rounds at Deputy Greg Sherwood," said Cannon. "He hit him and Deputy Sherwood ended up being hospitalized after sustaining at least two gun-shot wounds.”
Law enforcement engaged Garcia-Juaregui in gun fire ending the two-and-a-half hour pursuit. Garcia-Juaregui died Friday from wounds sustained in the stand-off.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.