Gun fire leaves two dead in Pleasant Hill robbery attempt on cannabis industry driver
PLEASANT HILL, CA (Mar. 20, 2024) — A robbery attempt on a delivery driver of cannabis packaging materials to Bay Area distributors on March 19 ended up leaving both the worker and one of his two assailants dead.
The driver, Pleasant Hill resident Peter Popovich, 63, was standing near his van that was parked at his Twinbridge Circle condominium residence when he was accosted by two men.
Pleasant Hill police investigators believe Popovich was targeted for robbery.
This incident brings the total to three homicides for the year following the early February stabbing death of Pleasant Hill city parks maintenance worker Santiago Jacobo.
Gun battle
Popovich and Trevon Davis, 21, of San Pablo, who also died in the incident, were each armed at the time and traded gun fire. Police investigators have confirmed Popovich and Davis did not know one another. A second suspect remains at large.
Both Popovich and Davis were transported to John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek where each was pronounced dead of multiple gunshot wounds.
This case is now being investigated as an attempted robbery resulting in homicide. No details about the second suspect or the vehicle that was reportedly driven way from the scene are known. Nor is it known if the other individual was wounded in the ensuing exchange of gun fire that was reportedly heard by other residents of the condominium community near Longbrook Way.
Investigators determined Popovich used his own firearm during the incident. Popovich’s firearm was recovered at the scene. Popovich possessed a valid permit to carry a concealed weapon, which was issued by the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office.
Popovich worked in the legal cannabis industry. The specific company, which is not known at this time, sells packaging materials for the legal distribution and sales of cannabis. Earlier in the day, police say Popovich had been working in his capacity as a delivery driver, delivering packaging materials to Bay Area cannabis distributors.
This incident remains an active investigation. Any person with information related to this crime is encouraged to contact the Pleasant Hill Police Investigations Bureau at 1-925-288-4630.
David Scholz
David Scholz is back in journalism as a freelance writer and photographer after nearly two decades in education. Prior to moving into teaching in 2000, he worked as a full-time journalist since 1988 for rural community and small daily newspapers in Central Ohio and Northern Nevada, and later in California with The Business Journal in Fresno and dailies in the Bay Area, including The Oakland Tribune and The San Francisco Chronicle. More recently Scholz also worked in an editing, writing, and page layout role with the Rossmoor News.