Palo Alto Police Lock Down Schools, Nab Wanted Felon

PALO ALTO - Palo Alto police on Wednesday arrested a wanted felon following a morning-long manhunt that caused six area schools to go into a lockdown status before noon.

Police arrested 32-year-old Timothy Angelo Molinari, a Mountain View resident, on several outstanding warrants after locating him in the 3900 block of El Camino Real.

Also on Patch: Palo Alto Schools End Lockdown, Police Catch Suspect

According to Palo Alto Police, about 9:35 a.m., the dispatch center received a call from a house cleaner on the 300 block of Creekside Drive reporting that a suspicious male was loitering in the area.

The first responding officer located the subject nearby. After making contact, the officer recognized Molinari as a wanted fugitive and attempted to detain him.

Molinari pulled away from the officer and ran eastbound on the 300 block of Parkside Drive.

Police say the officer gave chase but lost sight of the suspect as he ran eastbound through the Cubberley Community Center campus.

Shortly thereafter, the dispatch center received several successive calls from residents of the Greenmeadow and Fairmeadow neighborhoods reporting sightings of a suspect running through backyards and climbing over fences.

Six schools in the area were placed on a precautionary lockdown. A tweet from Palo Alto officers during the manhunt stated:

“Area schools affected include JLS, Hoover, Fairmeadow, Greendell, Keys, & Achieve. Students locked in rooms, but instruction is continuing.”

About 11:30 a.m., police say they received information that the suspect might be inside of a residence on the 3900 block of El Camino Real. Officers responded to the area, located the suspect, and took him into custody without further incident.

Police booked Molinari into the Santa Clara County Main Jail for one felony count of failing to properly register as a sex offender, and one misdemeanor count of resisting arrest.

Additionally, police also booked Molinari for two outstanding felony warrants, as well as two outstanding misdemeanor warrants.

Molinari is on active parole for drug and weapons related offenses.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call our 24-hour dispatch center at 650-329-2413.

Anonymous tips can be e-mailed to paloalto@tipnow.orgor sent via text message or voice mail to 650-383-8984.

Tips can also be submitted anonymously through our free mobile app, downloadable at www.bit.ly/PAPD-AppStore or www.bit.ly/PAPD-GooglePlay.

-image via Palo Alto PD