Location: Highway 65 and Linda Vista, Porterville
Incident Date: 11/15/16
Incident Time: 1625 hours
Case Number: 16-14386
Victim: State of California
City: Exeter and Porterville
Posted by: Media Relations
On Tuesday, 11/15/2016 at approximately 1625 hours, Sheriff's Headquarters Patrol Deputies responded to the area of Spruce (Road 204) and Firebaugh in Exeter regarding a report of a male pointing a gun to his chin, while driving a silver-colored vehicle south on Road 204.
Exeter Police Officers responded to the area and located the vehicle driving south on Road 204. Exeter Police Officers attempted a traffic stop on the vehicle and the suspect refused to stop and a pursuit ensued.
During the pursuit, the suspect was driving erratically and at one point he pointed the gun at one of the officers in the pursuit. The suspect reached speeds between 30 and 80 mph and switching back and forth between the south and north bound lanes and driving into oncoming traffic.
CHP responded and deployed spike strips to stop the suspect’s vehicle. The suspect lost control of his vehicle after it was disabled. A unit with the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office and the CHP struck the suspect vehicle, knocking it back to the shoulder of the roadway preventing him from continuing drive recklessly and possibly injuring himself, other civilians or responding officers.
Deputies approached the suspect vehicle and identified the driver as 24-year-old Jonathan Robertson of Visalia.
Robertson did not comply with the deputies’ requests and resisted and tried to pull away when being arrested. A K9 Deputy deployed his partner on the suspect. The suspect continued to resist but was eventually taken into custody by TCSO Deputies. While the suspect was being taken into custody, deputies located a toy gun in the vehicle.
The suspect was transported and treated at KDMC for minor injuries and booked on P.C. 245, PC 148, CVC 2800.2
Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office at (559) 733-6218 or send anonymous information through our TipNow Program by sending a text or email to (559) 725-4194 or TCSO@tipnow.com.