A California man accused of running from a deputy while carrying a firearm eventually found a hiding place, although it didn’t keep him hidden for long. The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office says 22-year-old Luis Rodriguez was discovered underneath a vehicle after a foot pursuit through a crowded gathering in King City.
The incident began at approximately 10:03 p.m. on September 26 when King City Police responded to a disturbance at a party. Police developed information that Rodriguez had brandished a firearm and threatened another person before leaving the area, according to the sheriff’s office.
Investigators then learned Rodriguez might be headed to another gathering in the 500 block of Bitterwater Road, prompting King City Police to request assistance from the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office. A responding deputy spotted Rodriguez at the gathering, but the sheriff’s office says he immediately took off running through a crowd while carrying a firearm.
Rodriguez discarded the firearm during the pursuit and continued running, according to deputies. The deputy deployed a department TASER in an attempt to apprehend him, but Rodriguez continued fleeing until deputies eventually located him hiding underneath a vehicle.
Deputies Recover Loaded Gun After Chase
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The sheriff’s office says a woman associated with Rodriguez also stepped into the deputy’s path during the pursuit, causing him to temporarily lose sight of Rodriguez. Investigators said they intend to request a charge of resisting, delaying or obstructing a peace officer against the woman in connection with her actions.
Deputies recovered the firearm Rodriguez is accused of throwing and found it contained a fully loaded 15-round magazine with another round in the chamber. The sheriff’s office says another fully loaded large-capacity magazine was discovered inside Rodriguez’s vehicle, while a controlled substance was found in his possession.
Sheriff Tina M. Nieto described the incident as an “extremely dangerous situation” because an armed person was running through a crowded gathering with a loaded firearm. No injuries were identified in the sheriff’s office announcement despite the pursuit unfolding among the crowd.
Jail Records Show Expensive Bail
After being medically evaluated, Rodriguez was booked into the Monterey County Jail as the sheriff’s office continued investigating the incident. The department said the suspected violations included possession of a loaded firearm, probation violation, resisting or obstructing a peace officer, firearm-related offenses, destruction or concealment of evidence, and possession of a controlled substance while armed.
Monterey County jail records reviewed by Guessing Headlights provide additional detail, listing charges for carrying a loaded firearm in a public place, carrying a loaded firearm in connection with a criminal street gang, manufacturing, selling, or otherwise possessing a large-capacity magazine, possessing a controlled substance while armed, and destroying or concealing evidence. The jail entry lists Rodriguez’s bail at $120,000.
The investigation remained ongoing when the sheriff’s office announced the arrest, with investigators asking anyone who recorded the incident or had additional information to contact the department. For Rodriguez, however, the foot chase had already gone from running through a crowded gathering with a gun to deputies saying they ultimately had to look underneath a vehicle to find him.
As always, this is an arrest, not a conviction, and Rodriguez is considered innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.