CLARK COUNTY, Ore. (KOIN) — The biological mother of the man accused of robbing a convenience store in Vancouver’s Orchards area over the weekend that led Clark County Sheriff’s deputies on a chase that ended with the death of an off-duty Vancouver police officer spoke to KOIN 6 News on Tuesday.
Eva Segura Mendoza, 39, spoke about her son, Julio Cesar Segura, and what happened after the death of Vancouver police officer Donald Sahota. Mendoza said her son lived with her in her home for the past three years in Yakima.
She added that she last saw him on Friday and the incident happened the following day. According to Mendoza, Segura helped pay rent and lived a normal life, which is why she has no idea why he would do this.
“I just don’t understand what drew him to do this is what – everything was fine,” she said, holding back tears. “I just don’t understand.”
She said her son went to high school in Vancouver and spent some time in foster care.
Along with the charges associated with the death of Sahota, Segura is facing charges of robbery, burglary, stealing a car, and eluding officers. Court documents show investigators believe Segura robbed the convenience store around 8 p.m. Saturday evening, ran from the scene and somehow wound up on Sahota’s property.
James Lawrence, listed as the arresting officer in the documents, said he followed multiple deputies into the scene as deputies with aerial views were stating that the resident and suspect were fighting. During an alleged struggle with Sahota, investigators say Segura stabbed the off-duty police officer several times.
The struggle also involved an object — later identified as a pistol — falling to the ground, according to court documents. When responding officers arrived to the scene, Segura fled into the residence.
“Sahota also stood up, grabbed the pistol, and pursued Segura,” according to the documents. “One of the responding deputies fired shots, striking Sahota, who was on the front porch.”
During Segura’s court appearance last Monday, prosecutors said that it appears the deputy mistook officer Sahota for the suspect and fired his rifle, also causing additional injury to Sahota.
“Another subject, later identified as Julio Segura, stuck his hands out the front door and then exited,” he wrote. “Realizing Segura was the suspect and it was the resident who was shot, we quickly took Segura into custody.”
Efforts to revive him were not successful and he died at the scene.
According to documents, Lawrence later spoke to Segura in his patrol vehicle after reading him Miranda rights. Lawrence said another officer told him that Segura “intentionally” stabbed the deceased at least three times in the torso.
“Further, Segura said he did not want to remain on the ground and he knew the man he stabbed was a police officer,” added Lawrence.