MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – A wanted federal fugitive was taken into custody Thursday evening in Middletown following a vehicle pursuit.
John Antone Beckwith, 32, of Santa Rosa was arrested by detectives from the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office Property Crimes Investigations Unit and the Sonoma County Multi Agency Gang Enforcement Team, according to a report from Sgt. Shawn Murphy.
Murphy said the detectives came to Lake County on Thursday in an attempt to locate Beckwith after receiving information that he had been seen in the county.
Beckwith has a prior history of evading law enforcement in a vehicle and carrying loaded firearms in Sonoma County, Murphy said.
At approximately 5:15 p.m., detectives observed Beckwith, seated in a vehicle, near the dead end of Saint Stephens Avenue, a single-lane road, in Middletown, according to Murphy's report.
Knowing that Beckwith has previously been arrested for evading law enforcement, Murphy said detectives determined that apprehending Beckwith at this location would minimize the possibility of a vehicle pursuit, which could put the public in danger.
As patrol vehicles approached Beckwith’s vehicle, Beckwith immediately rammed his vehicle into one of the patrol vehicles and continued accelerating his vehicle through a fence into the yard of a private residence, Murphy said.
Murphy said Beckwith continued attempting to evade law enforcement, driving through several more fences of private residences until he emerged on Napa Avenue.
Once on Napa Avenue, Beckwith accelerated his vehicle, ramming it into the front of an unmarked detective vehicle, Murphy said.
After ramming the detective vehicle, Beckwith again attempted to flee the area, but was blocked in by several patrol vehicles, Murphy said. After a short struggle, Beckwith was taken into custody.
Beckwith was arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail late Thursday for felony assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer, felony evading arrest, misdemeanor hit and run, misdemeanor resisting arrest and his federal no-bail warrant.
Jail records showed that Beckwith remained in the jail on Friday.
Federal fugitive arrested in Middletown after vehicle pursuit
- Lake County News reports
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