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Deputy Shoots And Kills Drunk Driver Who Bit Him, Tried To Take His Gun

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It was not a good day on the job for an L.A. County sheriff's deputy who shot and killed a suspected drunk driver who bit him in the arm and tried to take his gun.

Sheriff's officials told the Associated Press that the driver became combative after a deputy pulled over his car in the 1300 block of Long Beach Boulevard. He reportedly bit the deputy on the arm, then tried to grab his gun.

The deputy then shot the man, who died at the scene shortly before 12:30 a.m. Thursday. His name hasn't been released. According to a witness, the suspect was driving erratically prior to the traffic stop.

The deputy was treated at a hospital for a bite to his left arm and probably given a rabies shot.

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Sheriff's Homicide Bureau detectives were sent to investigate the shooting, which will also be investigated by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office and the county Office of Independent Review, as is standard in such cases.

At least the driver didn't go for the neck, as happened to Officer John Cooper in a gruesome scene on Southland, TNT's just-ended series about L.A. cops.

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