Ceres robbery suspect makes 3 escape attempts, one handcuffed, before going to jail
A Ceres robbery suspect attempted three times to avoid going to jail on Tuesday: pulling a knife on loss prevention officers, fleeing from police onto Highway 99, then running handcuffed from a hospital, authorities said.
The incident began around 10:30 a.m., when the suspect took a $200 power tool set from the Home Depot on Hatch Road, then brandished a knife at loss prevention officers who tried to stop him, said Ceres police Sgt. Greg Yotsuya.
He said the suspect, 30-year-old Aries Estrada of Ceres, ran west on Hatch Road, and the loss prevention officers chased after him while giving updates to dispatchers on their location.
As Ceres police responded to the scene, Estrada was spotted running off Highway 99 onto the Ninth Street onramp, according to Yotsuya.
Officer Nicolas Welsh drove up the ramp and ordered Estrada at gunpoint to get on the ground, Yotsuya said.
Estrada, with the knife and stolen merchandise still in hand, faked like he was going one direction then ran the other, around Welsh, Yotsuya said.
He said Estrada dropped the merchandise and knife as he ran, Welsh holstered his gun and ran after him, and he tackled Estrada a short distance later.
Yotsuya said Estrada fought with Welsh and a second officer, Jon Blount, who had arrived at the scene.
“(Estrada) curled up in a ball and wouldn’t give his hands and, at one point during the struggle, was grabbing Officer Blount’s duty belt,” Yotsuya said.
The officers eventually subdued and handcuffed Estrada.
Because he sustained several facial injuries during the struggle, Estrada was taken by ambulance to Doctors Medical Center to be medically cleared before going to jail.
After Estrada was seen by medical personnel, Officer Steve Carvalho was escorting Estrada back to his patrol car when he pulled away from the officer and ran, Yotsuya said.
Modesto police and the Sheriff Department’s helicopter were dispatched to help find the handcuffed suspect, who was last seen in the area of Orangeburg and McHenry avenues.
A deputy in the helicopter spotted Estrada as he made a run for it across McHenry, Yotuysa said.
Modesto police converged on his location and took Estrada into custody. Yotuysa said he struggled with Modesto officers as well, who had to put him into a restraint device called a WRAP.
Estrada was booked into the Stanislaus County Jail on suspicion of robbery, brandishing a deadly weapon, resisting arrest, escape from custody and probation violations. He is being held on $100,000 bail.
This story was originally published April 22, 2020 at 1:40 PM.
