A California man is facing a pending attempted murder charge after allegedly shooting at a Polson Police officer with a rifle on Valentine's Day.  

Cameron E. Francis, 49, of Gridley, California was booked into the Lake County Jail on a felony count of attempted deliberate homicide following the alleged Feb. 14 shooting, according to Lake County Sheriff Don Bell. 

Gridley brought the rifle to bear during an attempted traffic stop near the intersection of Regatta Road and U.S. 93 at about 11:50 p.m., officials said. A piece of shrapnel struck the officer, who was still inside his vehicle when the shooting began. The officer was able to escape and later received treatment for minor injuries from emergency medical services personnel, authorities said.  

Gridley fled after allegedly opening fire, heading northbound on U.S. 93.  

All available law enforcement officers in the area responded to the shooting, according to Bell. Working from a report of a suspicious vehicle parked near Elmo, authorities tracked Gridley down in the Elmo Post Office, Bell said. He was arrested and taken to the county jail. 

News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or [email protected].