Crime & Safety
Police: Man, 19, Arrested After Pulling Gun, Leading Officers on Foot Chase
After a routine traffic stop, suspect almost immediately began jumping fences and climbing onto roofs of houses in an effort to escape the officers, police said.
Watsonville Police arrested a 19-year-old man Thursday night after a routine traffic stop turned into a foot chase that started when the man pointed a holstered revolver at a police sergeant, according to law enforcement officials.
Watsonville Sgt. Mike McKinley said the incident began at around 8:30 p.m. Thursday when an sergeant pulled over a vehicle for an equipment violation in the area of Hill Ave and East Lake Avenue. A passenger in the car, who McKinley said was later identified as 19-year-old James Mitchell Anderson, jumped out of the car and fled on foot towards Palm Ave.
As Anderson was running, a concealed holster containing a loaded revolver fell out of his waistband and onto the ground, McKinley said. As the sergeant was stopping and exiting his patrol car, Anderson picked up the holster and attempted to pull the revolver out but was unsuccessful. He then pointed the revolver directly at the sergeant while it was still in the holster before turning and fleeing down the driveway of a residence, according to McKinley.
Watsonville police officers and Santa Cruz County Gang Task Force officers joined the sergeant in quickly setting up a perimeter around the area, and Anderson almost immediately began jumping fences and climbing onto roofs of houses in an effort to escape the officers, McKinley said.
Officers chased Anderson and eventually cornered him and took him into custody in the backyard of a home on Tuttle Way. The revolver was recovered and determined to be stolen, according to McKinley.
Police said Anderson was in possession of an illegal knife, methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. No officers were injured and no shots were fired during this incident.
Anderson was arrested on suspicion of several different weapon, drug, assault and gang crimes and booked into the Santa Cruz County Jail.
Anyone with further information regarding this case is encouraged to contact the WPD Investigations Unit (831) 768-3352 or the Crime Tip Line at (831) 768-3544.
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