A man got into a car pursuit with an assault suspect after leaving a west Phoenix bar.
Court documents show that in the early morning of March 20, there was an altercation at "Michelle's bar" near 43rd avenue and Van Buren Road. Security escorted the people outside the bar, but the scuffle didn't end there.
An off-duty officer working at the bar saw a man pistol whip a victim and then flee in a Mercedes Benz. The officer also saw a man in a white GMC Yukon give chase to the suspect, who was later identified as 37-year-old Manuel Emilio Fernandez Junior.
As other officers responded to the pursuit, shots were fired near 59th avenue and Roosevelt street. The witness told police that, during the pursuit, Fernandez fired several shots at his SUV, hitting it once in the radiator. With the assistance of the police helicopter, patrol cars caught up to Fernandez near 75th avenue and Buckeye road.
The officers in the police helicopter say they saw Fernandez throw an object out of the window. Police later found a 9 MM handgun in that area.
Police say that Fernandez at first denied shooting the gun, but when police informed him that there were spent shell casings on his car, he admitted to shooting the gun "in the air."
The court records show that Fernandez told police that some women inside the bar intentionally poured drinks on him and that lead to the scuffle.
Police say one woman was pistol whipped outside the bar after confronting Fernandez for kicking her car. Another woman says Fernandez pointed the gun at her before he left. The driver of the Yukon reportedly told police that Fernandez punched him in the face as he was seated in his SUV.
Fernandez is facing multiple counts or aggravated assault and drive by shooting.
