BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- An officer fired three shots Wednesday as a suspected vehicle thief tried to escape.

It all went down in a parking structure in the area of California Avenue and Mohawk Street. Office workers in the adjacent Stockdale Tower called police after they said they saw people stealing items from an SUV at the top of the parking garage.

Officers arrived and detained two suspects -- 24-year-old Andrew Eugene Williams and 20-year-old Tara Marie Monti -- but a third suspect jumped into a Jeep Wrangler and tried to escape, according to police.

As that suspect, 37-year-old Dennis Barton, made his way down to the parking garage exit, police say he almost crashed into Officer Santiago Baltazar and his motorcycle.

Barton crashed the Jeep into multiple parked cars before accelerating toward the Baltazar again, who then fired three shots. The bullets hit the vehicle, but not the suspect, according to Detective Mary DeGeare.

Baltazar jumped out of the way as the Jeep crashed into his motorcycle and another car, which left the Jeep disabled.

Baltazar tried to shoot Barton with a Taser, but it was ineffective, and Barton ran out of the parking garage, police said.

Baltazar and some other officers eventually caught Barton in the middle of California Avenue.

The Jeep and a Scion were reportedly stolen early Wednesday from the Seven Oaks neighborhood.

All three suspects are in custody, but police haven't said what charges they may face.

Baltazar, who has been on the force since 2005, is being placed on routine administrative leave while the shooting is investigated, police said.

No serious injuries were reported.