MANHUNT OVER: Felon Who Escaped Calif. Courthouse Re-Captured

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On Monday, July 24, 2017, at 9:21 a.m., Deputies from the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) arrested the man accused of escaping from a Siskiyou County Superior Courtroom on Friday, which resulted in a three-day manhunt for the escaped felon. Deputies Stewart and Gusaas arrested David Wayne Caldwell, Jr., 33, of Yreka, without incident after he was found hiding in a trailer at a park on the R-Ranch in the Hornbrook area. Caldwell is facing unrelated felony charges associated with his original court appearance. He was was booked at the Siskiyou County Jail for a felony arrest warrant for escape, with a posted with a bail of $150,000.00.

On Friday, July 21, 2017, at about 8:55 a.m., Mr. Caldwell was remanded to custody by the presiding judge during an appearance in the Siskiyou County Superior Court in Yreka when he bolted from the courtroom prior to being restrained by a court bailiff. Mr. Caldwell managed to escape from the courthouse, which prompted an extensive search of the area by the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) and the Yreka Police Department (YPD). A “Code Red” was broadcast to local residents but leads failed to result in Caldwell’s apprehension.

While still on the lookout for the suspect at about 11:17 a.m., YPD units received reports of a man matching Caldwell’s description walking behind businesses located on Main Street north of Raymond Street near downtown Yreka. The suspect appeared to be evading contact and apprehension, and ran towards the Interstate 5 freeway perimeter fence. Two SCSO units located the subject walking along the freeway side of the perimeter fence in a southbound direction. The suspect then began running along the fence line and when confronted by law enforcement he refused to stop as directed and vaulted the perimeter fence. The fleeing suspect was not the escapee but was identified as Mr. Michael Robert Thompson, 39, of Yreka. Mr. Thompson had a valid felony arrest warrant and he was arrested for the outstanding warrant and for a misdemeanor charge of resisting, obstructing, and delaying a peace officer.

According to Sheriff Jon Lopey, “This was a good piece of police work on the part of Deputies Stewart and Gusaas because they arrested Mr. Caldwell without anyone getting hurt. Arrests like this are always potentially dangerous because it was obvious Mr. Caldwell was facing felony charges, previously evaded arrest and he was intent on not returning to jail. Anyone with information about Mr. Caldwell’s activities during the three days within which he was a fugitive at-large is urged to contact the SCSO’s 24-hour Dispatch Center at (530) 841-2900.”

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