SALINAS VALLEY — A 22-year-old Soledad man was arrested Saturday after allegedly brandishing a firearm and threatening another person before fleeing on foot through a crowded gathering in King City, according to the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office.
King City Police Department responded to a disturbance at a party at about 10:03 p.m. on Sept. 26 and identified the suspect as Luis Rodriguez. Police developed information that Rodriguez may have been traveling to another gathering in the 500 block of Bitterwater Road and requested assistance from the Sheriff’s Office.
A Monterey County sheriff’s deputy located Rodriguez at the gathering, where he fled on foot through a crowd while carrying a firearm, the Sheriff’s Office said. During the pursuit, Rodriguez threw the firearm to the ground but continued running.
The deputy deployed a Taser in an effort to apprehend Rodriguez, but he continued to flee. Rodriguez was eventually found hiding underneath a vehicle and taken into custody without further incident.
The Sheriff’s Office said a woman associated with Rodriguez allegedly interfered with the deputy during the pursuit by stepping into his path, causing the deputy to temporarily lose sight of Rodriguez.
Deputies recovered the firearm and found it contained a fully loaded 15-round magazine with an additional round in the chamber. Another fully loaded large-capacity magazine was found inside Rodriguez’s vehicle, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Deputies also found a controlled substance in Rodriguez’s possession.
“This was an extremely dangerous situation involving an armed individual running through a crowded gathering with a loaded firearm,” Monterey County Sheriff Tina Nieto said. “Our deputy showed tremendous courage and persistence in bringing this situation under control. His actions removed a loaded firearm from a crowded environment and may have prevented a tragedy.”
Rodriguez was medically evaluated and booked into the Monterey County Jail on suspicion of violations including 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. Bail was set at $120,000.
The Sheriff’s Office said it will also seek charges against the woman for interfering with the deputy during the pursuit.
The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information or video of the incident can contact the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office at 831-755-3700. Anonymous information may be provided.
