PAROLEE CAPTURED AFTER SEARCH ON SANTA YSABEL RESERVATION; DEPUTY INJURED IN VEHICLE ROLLOVER DURING PURSUIT

By Miriam Raftery

File photo: ASTREA helicopter

April 27, 2017 (Santa Ysabel) – Patrick Clay, a parolee with a felony warrant, was taken into custody at 7:20 this evening after a pursuit that included a helicopter, patrol vehicle, deputies on foot and a Sheriff’s canine that ultimately subdued the subject.

Deputies were dispatched to the Santa Ysabel Indian Reservation regarding an armed suspicious person loitering near the health clinic, armed with a baseball bat. The reporting party knew deputies had been looking for Clay on a prior day.  The Sheriff’s ASTREA helicopter responded, along with multiple deputies from both the Ranchita Substation and Julian Substation.

As deputies began to search the area, ASTERA observed Clay run out the back of the health clinic and into bushes and trees on the reservation, said Sergeant Brian Jenkins. A Sheriff's canine unit was summoned from Poway as Clay ran from the deputies.

 ASTREA was able to maintain visual contact on the suspect as he ran through the heavily wooded areas of the reservation. ASTREA directed deputies toward Clay, but he was able to elude capture for almost an hour.

As ASTREA was directing the deputies toward the suspect, one of the deputies was involved in a rollover collision of his Sheriff's patrol SUV.  The deputy sustained minor injuries and was transported to a hospital via ambulance for evaluation and treatment.

“The deputies were eventually able to contain the suspect in an open field. As the deputies closed in to arrest the suspect, he continued to refuse commands to surrender and the Sheriff's canine was deployed. The canine contacted the suspect and he was taken into custody,” Sgt. Jenkins said.

Clay was transported to a hospital for treatment. After being cleared from the hospital, he will be booked into the Vista Jail for a Parole Violation and 69 PC – Felony Resisting.