Full Notification

On Thursday, May 24, 2018, at approximately 8:30 AM, the Turlock Police Department S.W.A.T. Team served an arrest and search warrant in the 1100 block of Pedras Road at the request of the Oakdale Police Department. The suspect, Jesus Tovar, a 37 year old male, was wanted for attempted murder by the Oakdale Police Department. For further information regarding that incident, refer to the attached Oakdale Police Department Press Release.

Upon arrival at the location, the suspect was observed attempting to flee the residence. Mr. Tovar reentered the residence and eventually barricaded himself in the attic of his apartment. Due to the actions of Mr. Tovar, the surrounding apartments were evacuated and the Turlock Police Department Hostage Negotiations Team was deployed. After several hours of intense negotiations, Mr. Tovar agreed to surrender to nearby SWAT officers. Mr. Tovar surrendered peacefully and was taken into custody by Oakdale Police Officers. There were no injuries as a result of this incident and the incident was brought to a successful conclusion.

Turlock Police Department was assisted by several agencies including Oakdale Police Department, Ceres Police Department, Merced County Sheriff’s Department, and the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department. The resources that each of these agencies brought forward to this incident ensured that Turlock Police Officers would be able to complete the task in a manner which kept the community safe, and reduced the likelihood of injury to its officers.

“I am very proud of our SWAT Team and our Hostage Negotiations Team (HNT). They did an outstanding job insuring the safety of the public and apprehending an extremely violent and volatile person. A special thank you to Ceres Police Department who allowed us to borrow their Bear Cat Armored Insertion and Rescue Vehicle. If not for the use of this vehicle, our officers would have been in critical peril. Another thank you to the Merced SWAT Team for bringing an electronic device to the scene after our only one was destroyed by the suspect, and to the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department for the use of their drone.” said Chief Amirfar.

The Turlock Police Department is an active participant in the Crime Stoppers Program. Callers can leave an anonymous tip by calling Crime Stoppers at (209) 521-4636 and may be eligible for a cash reward.
To receive more detailed, up-to-date information directly from the Turlock Police Department via e-mail or text message, register for "Nixle" alerts at www.Nixle.com or more directly at https://local.nixle.com/register/. Or, text your zip code to 888777 to receive text alerts only.

For additional information, follow our social media pages on Facebook and Twitter.

###

This information is being released by Turlock Police Department Sergeant Russ Holeman.

Any media requests should contact: Sergeant Russ Holeman
Office of Professional Standards Turlock Police Department
Office phone - (209) 668-6524 Email – [email protected]