Fugitive, his wife wanted in shooting of LA deputy

A couple wanted for shooting a Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputy has been identified as a man who recently escaped from jail with the help of his wife.
The sheriff's department said Sunday that 24-year-old Darnell Washington escaped from a San Bernardino County jail on Tuesday with the help of his 25-year-old wife, Tania Washington.

They came under the scrutiny of a deputy who spotted them in a car in South El Monte that matched the description of a vehicle that was carjacked Sunday morning. As the deputy waited for backup assistance, the fugitive husband fired at him.

The deputy was wounded during an ensuing gun battle, but has been treated and released from a hospital.

Washingtons fled and carjacked at least two more vehicles.

Mexico, California and Arizona

11/29/11

A fugitive hiding out in Los Algodones has been arrested and returned to the United States.

On Friday night, deputy U.S. marshals coordinated the arrest and return of Michael Jefferson, 28.

Jefferson had previously been found guilty by a Maricopa County jury for several crimes including illegal control of an enterprise, money laundering, fraudulent schemes, taking the ID of another and trafficking the identity of another.

On Thursday, deputy U.S. marshals and Chandler Police Detectives assigned to the Arizona WANTED Violent Offender Task Force developed information that Jefferson had fled into Mexico to avoid capture.

Jefferson was arrested and booked into the Imperial County jail in El Centro to await extradition to Arizona.

According to Mexican authorities, it is believed that Jefferson had started a similar illegal operation during his short stay in Mexico.