On January 17th, 2014, at approximately 11:00 a.m., a SRJC employee observed an individual removing items from her parked vehicle on the Santa Rosa Campus. She approached the suspect and confronted him. A struggle ensued as the victim attempted to detain the suspect. The suspect was able to break away and fled on foot. Property from the victim’s vehicle was located a short distance away. The victim was able to provide a description of the suspect and officers from the SRJCPD began a search for the suspect, but did not immediately locate him.
At approximately 1:45 p.m., Officer Joe Richards was patrolling through the Mendocino Avenue Parking Lot located just north of the campus. Officer Richards observed a subject who matched the description of the earlier suspect standing behind a parked vehicle with the trunk open and stereo equipment lying on the ground. When Officer Richards stopped his vehicle to make contact with the suspect, the subject immediately fled and began to try to get over a 12’ wooden fence and into a backyard of a residence on Slater Street.
Officer Richards was able to grab one of the suspect’s legs before he got all of the way over the fence and held him until other officers arrived on scene. Once other SRJCPD officers arrived on scene they were able to assist in removing the suspect, who continued to struggle and fight once he was off the fence. During the struggle the suspect and two SRJCPD officers received lacerations, scrapes and punctures from nails sticking out of the fence.
The suspect was identified as 26-year-old David Ochoa of Petaluma. Officers learned that Ochoa had bailed out of the Sonoma County Jail that morning on Auto Theft charges. Further investigation revealed that Ochoa was burglarizing the car that Officer Richards had observed him behind. Additionally Ochoa had just stolen another vehicle that was parked next to that vehicle. The victim from the previous vehicle burglary was transported to the scene for an “in-field show-up” and she positively identified Ochoa as the suspect who she had previously caught breaking into her vehicle.
Ochoa was booked into county jail on charges of Auto Theft, Auto Burglary, Resisting Arrest, Assault on a Peace Officer, and Commission of a Felony While Out on Bail for a Felony. He is being held without bail.
Prepared by Chief Matt McCaffrey, who can be reached at (707) 527-4964 for any questions related to this incident.
