Arrest in Clovis of suspect in pair of highway shootings ends crime spree, authorities say

A Sanger man arrested early Friday morning in the parking lot of a Clovis grocery store is the suspect in a pair of Fresno highway shootings, the California Highway Patrol said.

The shootings happened along Highway 180 July 6 and 7, CHP said.

According to the CHP, Timothy Benner was detained by the Clovis Police Department around 4 a.m. Friday outside the WinCo Foods at Ashlan and Peach avenues after a woman had her car window shattered by a pellet gun.

Officers learned that Benner had an arrest warrant issued by the CHP in relation to the Highway 180 incidents for brandishing and shooting a firearm from his car.

The 46-year-old was turned over to the CHP and was booked into the Fresno County Jail on charges of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and negligent discharge of a firearm which could result in injury or death.

He will also be charged with felony assault with a deadly weapon for the Clovis incident, the Clovis Police Department said.

Anyone with information, or anyone who may have witnessed the shootings, is asked to call the Fresno Area CHP office at 559-262-0400, or Valley Crime Stoppers at 559-498-STOP.