A motorist who failed to yield to Fresno police died after a confrontation with several officers early Monday morning in south Fresno, police say. The man, who fought off less-lethal bean-bag rounds and electronic shock darts, stopped breathing after he was wrestled to the ground by four officers and handcuffed, Fresno Chief Jerry Dyer said.
The unidentified man was pronounced dead at Community Regional Medical Center.Dyers said the man may have been able to battle through the less-lethal weapons either because of his large size -- he weighed about 300 pounds -- or because he may have been under the influence of drugs. The chief was at the scene of the confrontation at Jensen and East avenues early Monday morning to provide details of the incident.

It began when officers spotted a car that ran a stoplight
at Jensen and Cedar avenues, Dyer said.

Officers turned on emergency lights and followed the car in a low-speed pursuit to Jensen and East avenue, where the driver pulled into a Shell Service station and got out. The driver was "combative and belligerent," Dyer said, prompting officers to fire "several" beanbag rounds at him to no effect. Officers then fired electronic stun darts at the driver, who pulled one of the darts from his body.

More officers arrived at this point and four of them swarmed the driver, wrestling him to the ground and handcuffing him. Dyer said when the man stopped breathing, officers attempted to revive him with CPR and Emergency Medical Service medics arrived and rushed him to CRMC, where he died.

The man's cause of death is not yet known. Several officers will be placed on administrative leave, but Dyer did not know the number this morning. Check fresnobee.com for updates throughout the day.