Preliminary hearing scheduled for man suspected of shooting CHP officer

A man suspected of shooting a California Highway Patrol officer in Mission Valley has a preliminary hearing on on Nov. 18.

Yuhao Du, 25, pleaded not guilty on May 10 by reason of insanity and has since undergone psychological evaluations while being held in jail.

He pleaded not guilty to all charges which include attempted murder of officer Anthony Pacheco, who was shot in the thigh on April 27 after he responded to a car accident.

He is also charged with assaulting a police officer with a semi-automatic firearm and removing or attempting to take a firearm from the officer’s possession.

Pacheco was shot with his own firearm during a struggle with Du, but it is unclear as to what happened. Du had crashed his vehicle into the center median of East Interstate 8.

Good samaritans who saw the struggle on the freeway stopped their cars and helped the officer after he was shot. Several restrained Du until other CHP officers responded.

Attorneys appearing before San Diego Superior Court Judge Laura Halgren on May 10 did not address the facts of the case.

Since bail was not discussed, Halgren denied any bail be set and he remains in jail without bail.

Du, wearing a green jumpsuit, did not say anything in court on May 10.

If a jury determines Du was insane when he committed the crimes, he would be committed to a state mental hospital, possibly for life. If he was found guilty and sane, he would be sent to prison.