Livingston County pursuit, gun battle media release

LIVINGSTON COUNTY- Sheriff Thomas J. Dougherty advises of an update to Wednesday night’s incident involving an operator driving a semi intentionally ramming police cars and shooting at law enforcement. 
The LeRoy Police Department stopped a tractor trailer in Genesee County for a speed violation at approximately 8:37 p.m. The operator failed to comply with simply requests from the LeRoy Officers and fled the stop while a LeRoy Officer was on the side rails of the tractor.

The Officer was able to jump off the truck and a pursuit began. The operator then rammed a LeRoy Police Department patrol vehicle and a Genesee County Sheriff’s vehicle. The pursuit went towards Batavia, and then U-turned, back to LeRoy, then toward Livingston County. The Genesee County Sheriff’s Dispatch requested Livingston County Law Enforcement to assist in the pursuit at the county line.

The events then occurred as follows based on our PRELIMINARY investigation.

8:51pm- Livingston County gets the call of an active pursuit headed towards the Village of Caledonia on State Route 5

8:59pm- Dispatch Updates – Southbound on State Route 19 – Request to Livingston County Law Enforcement to stage on Route 63 at the county line.

9:07pm- Dispatch Updates - Tractor Trailer east on Route 63 and had hit Stop Sticks of Genesee County Sheriff’s Office.

9:12pm- Tractor Trailer enters Livingston County – Hits Livingston County Sheriff’s Office stop sticks upon entering Livingston County and several Livingston County Sheriff’s Office Patrols join the pursuit and take over the lead on the pursuit.

9:14pm – Pursuit passes through intersection of State Route 36 and State Route 63 at over 70 mph towards Geneseo with no regard for human life.

9:21pm – Pursuit continues over the Genesee River Bridge at Court Street in Geneseo. The semi hits another series of top sticks deployed by both the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office and Geneseo Police Department.

9:22pm – Pursuit goes east on State Route 20A at top of the bypass and continues east into the Village of Geneseo. The suspect continues eastbound up East South Street attempting to ram LCSO Patrol Vehicles.

9:27pm – Suspect begins shooting at LCSO Patrol vehicles on 20A in area of Quicklees; ten (10) hits to one vehicle.

9:29pm – Suspect shoots at another Livingston County Sheriff’s Deputy at intersection of 20A and Country Club Road; strikes second patrol vehicle.

9:31pm – Pursuit goes southbound onto Interstate 390 and stops briefly on the on ramp. The Sheriff passes by the suspect on the passenger side and the suspect takes multiple shots but does not hit the vehicle. The suspect takes more shots at law enforcement behind him on the ramp; two more patrol vehicles are hit (one Genesee and one LeRoy).

9:37pm- The suspect Goes through the U-turn south of Exit 8 and heads back north on Interstate 390. The suspect takes more shots at patrol units with none hit and he also attempts to ram LCSO patrol vehicles.

9:43pm – Suspect exits Interstate 390 at Exit 8.

9:44pm – Several LCSO member’s fire at suspect on State Route 20A at 390 exit. The suspect heads west towards Village of Geneseo.

9:50pm – The suspect is eastbound passing Morgan View Drive.

9:51pm – LCSO and GCSO fire multiple shots at the suspect and vehicle leaves roadway into field off 20A.

9:58pm – Deputies and Officers approach the cab of the truck and the suspect is placed in custody with multiple gunshot wounds. Suspect is later transported to Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy

The suspect has been identified as Joshua Blessed, age 58 of Harrisonburg Virginia. The suspect was previously named Sergeia Jourev.  Blessed was currently working as Truck Driver for Yurman Express LLC out of Harrisonburg, Virginia and was driving to Batavia NY to pick up a load of dairy products.

Assisting on scene was the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, the Leroy Police Department, the New York State Police, the Geneseo Police Department, Geneseo Fire/EMS, Livingston County Emergency Management and Livingston County EMS.