Naked escapee tackled, held by 80-year-old Modesto man

An 80-year-old man tackled a naked escapee from Doctors Medical Center who had been under sheriff's deputy supervision, and held him at gunpoint early Thursday until Modesto police arrived, authorities reported.

The man, identified by the Sheriff's Department as Jeremy Alan Lucas, 27, was admitted to the hospital Saturday after he pushed his car into a canal, broke into a home, called 911 and waited for officers while holding a butcher knife, according to Royjindar Singh with the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department. Lucas subsequently was arrested.

He received minor injuries Saturday from being shot with a Taser several times and trying to headbutt doors and people during his detention, Singh said.

While in the hospital, Lucas was handcuffed to his bed and wore leg irons, Singh said. About 4 a.m. Thursday, the deputy watching Lucas stepped away from the room. The reason he left remains under investigation and his name has not been released, Singh said. When the deputy returned, he found an empty bed.

Lucas, who was naked, had slipped out of his handcuffs and pulled out his intravenous line. A small blood trail showed the door through which he left, but officers were unable to find him, Singh said.

Modesto police received sev- eral calls from residents about the escapee, who briefly gained access to a home in the 400 block of West Orangeburg Avenue, said Modesto police Sgt. Ray Coyle. As Lucas left, a neighbor, who was armed, tackled him. He sat on Lucas in a front yard until police arrived.

Lucas also had tried to escape the hospital Wednesday, but when he opened the door of his room to leave, he found a deputy waiting for him. That was when Lucas was handcuffed to his bed, Singh said.

Lucas came into contact with deputies Nov. 30 about 9:30 p.m. when they received a 911 call about a burglary in progress on the 500 block of Ashwood Lane in Patterson, Singh said. As deputies approached, a passer-by told them that a car had gone into the canal. Deputies found no one in the car, then surrounded an unlocked house where they believed the car's owner was hiding.

They found Lucas, who identified himself as Jeremy Raphael, in a closet inside. Deputies Tased him when he lunged at them, Singh said, and Lucas fell, dropping a butcher knife. After being Tased, Singh said, Lucas ran. Deputies Tased him again outside to get him into handcuffs; Lucas seemed to be under the influence of narcotics, Singh said.

Lucas was charged on suspicion of resisting arrest, possessing a weapon, being under the influence, trespassing and trying to resist or injure a peace officer. He was being held at the men's jail Thursday in lieu of $18,000 bail.

Bee staff writer Eve Hightower can be reached atehightower@modbee.com. Emilie Raguso can be reached ateraguso@modbee.com or 578-2235.