Shoplifting suspect tossed knife, kept stun gun, Sonora police say

A Jamestown man reportedly tossed a knife and drugs while fleeing Sonora police who responded to a shoplifting call early Saturday afternoon.

As officers were responding to the report of a shoplifter in custody at the Sonora Walmart, store employees reported they’d let the man go because he was making threats of violence.

When the first officer arrived, he saw the suspect, later identified at Edward Lee Jones, 25, running through the Starbucks parking lot. The officer followed in his patrol car and saw Jones throw a plastic bag on the ground. The bag was recovered and found to contain 5.1 grams of heroin, as well as 3 grams of methamphetamine.

Jones then lifted his shirt and took a fixed-blade knife from his pants. The officer got out of his vehicle, drew his gun and pointed it Jones, who threw the knife under a parked vehicle.

Jones was taken into custody and searched, which also revealed a stun gun.

Jones was on parole for felony evasion of an officer and also was wanted on a misdemeanor warrant for possession of drugs.

He was taken to the Tuolumne County Jail, where he was booked for felony possession of a concealed bladed weapon, as well as misdemeanor; being a felon in possession of a stun gun; possession of a controlled substance; possession of a controlled narcotic; and shoplifting.

This story was originally published November 7, 2016 at 12:40 PM with the headline "Shoplifting suspect tossed knife, kept stun gun, Sonora police say."