Manhunt Suspect Might have Fled in Stolen Vehicle

The suspect in Friday's massive and nearly 9-hour manhunt might have fled San Geronimo Valley in a stolen SUV, Marin County Sheriff’s Lt. Barry Heying confirmed Saturday afternoon. 

Authorities called off the manhunt Friday around 5 p.m. after the suspect, a possibly armed and dangerous car thief, hadn’t been seen in hours. Authorities said it was possible the suspect had escaped outside their perimeter, which was set up near Woodacre.

Now, officials have confirmed that a dark blue 2009 Toyota Highlander was stolen overnight from a residence roughly two miles from the location of yesterday’s frenzy of police activity. The vehicle was stolen sometime between 11 p.m. on Friday and 7 a.m. on Saturday. Officials haven’t linked the suspect directly to the theft, but said it’s possible he stole the vehicle. 

Heying said authorities don’t know who the manhunt suspect is or where he is. 

The home where the SUV was stolen also had liquor and financial papers taken from inside the residence.

Many San Geronimo Valley residents have been expressing concerns about the safety of their neighborhood, but Heying said the authorities think the suspect has left the area. 

Law enforcement officers from across the North Bay descended on of Woodacre early Friday morning, establishing a one-square-mile perimeter around the area where the suspect reportedly abandoned the dark-colored 2007 black Acadia GMC he allegedly stole in Windsor earlier in the day. Schools in Lagunitas and Nicasio were locked down, officials said, and a Montessori school in the Woodacre area closed for the day and notified parents to not bring children to the school.

The manhunt included dozens of law enforcement officers from the Sheriff’s offices of both Sonoma and Marin, as well as Fairfax, Central Marin Police, Novato Police, Windsor Police, Ross Police, California Highway Patrol and several search dogs.

The incident began at around 6 a.m. Friday when Sonoma County Sheriff's deputies contacted the suspect after receiving a report of a theft of a dark-colored 2007 black Acadia GMC out of Windsor. They tracked the car via its "Onstar" GPS device to near Petaluma. After making contact with the suspect, a Taser gun was used unsuccessfully and the suspect fled, but not before making multiple threats to deputies, Boyd said.

The suspect is described as a white male in his 20s or 30s who is 5-8 and approximately 160 pounds with his hair pulled back. He was last seen wearing a burgundy shirt and blue-gray sweatpants, Boyd said.

He is believed to be the same man wanted in Calistoga and Santa Cruz for earlier robberies and burglaries, according to the Press Democrat. 

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