Transient Arrested After Evading Cops Twice, Hiding In Levee

SANTA CRUZ, CA — Santa Cruz police this morning arrested a transient man who led them on a chase twice after originally fleeing after throwing a chair through the glass door of a local establishment.At 12:05 a.m., police responded to a business located in the 2200 block of Mission Street for a report of vandalism. Officers learned that 48-year-old Michael Richards, who had allegedly been disturbing customers at the location, had thrown the chair and fled the establishment.

A citizen attempted to chase Richards but Richards told the citizen not to because he was carrying a firearm. The citizen did not see a firearm, according to police. Just over an hour later, officers returned to the same location on a report that Richards had returned.

An officer recognized him near Pendegast Avenue and Rankin Street and attempted to stop him but was unsuccessful, prompting a vehicle pursuit, according to police. Richards was driving erratically and stopped abruptly, then accelerated his car in reverse and rammed into an officer in a marked police car, police said.

The pursuit concluded when Richards drove through San Lorenzo Park, left his car and fled on foot into the San Lorenzo River Levee. Police searched for him but could not find him. Around 7:30 a.m., officers responded to the 1800 block of Riverside Avenue to the report of a disturbance between two people. One of
the descriptions matched that of Richards, and when police arrived they confirmed it was indeed him, police said.

When Richards spotted the officers, he fled on foot again and ran into the same levee. He was waist-deep in the waters as officers negotiated with him for an hour until they used a number of less-lethal munitions to
detain him. Richards was medically cleared at Dominican Hospital and will be booked into the county jail on suspicion of felony eluding, felony assault on a police officer and resisting arrest.

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By Bay City News

Photo courtesy Santa Cruz Police Department