A Menlo Park police officer was roughed up and a San Jose man bitten by a police dog on Tuesday evening (May 31) in an incident in the Allied Arts neighborhood.
Officer Felicia Byars suffered non-life-threatening injuries in a tussle with San Jose resident Antonio Lydell Jones, 32, who was arrested and booked into San Mateo County jail on charges that included battery and assault on a police officer, police spokeswoman Nicole Acker said.
“She’s fine,” Acker said when asked about Byars’ condition.
Jones suffered a “minor bite” on the thigh from the department’s police dog, Acker said. Police also arrested and booked Christian Patee, 32, of Milpitas who was with Jones. Patee was charged with violation of parole, police said.
The incident began at about 6:40 p.m. when officer Steven Shaw responded to a 911 call about a suspicious vehicle in the Allied Arts neighborhood. Officer Shaw found the vehicle — a black Chevrolet Camaro without license plates — in the vicinity of Harvard and Cornell avenues, police said.
As is usual in a traffic stop, Shaw pulled up behind the vehicle, got out, and asked the three occupants for ID, which they gave without incident, police said.
The suspects were ordered out of the car and to sit on the curb while the officer waited for reinforcements, police said.
Around the time Byars arrived at the scene, Jones took off running in the direction of El Camino Real and the Stanford Inn, police said. The dog found him hiding behind the Oasis Beer Garden, police said.
The dog bite to Jones’ upper right leg was “minor” due to the dog’s training, Acker said.
The report shows no indication that the officers used weapons, Acker said. Jones had a weapon — a switchblade knife, for which he was charged — but he did not display it, she said.
Drove by as this was going down. It was the most excitement we’ve had in Allied Arts in quite a while.
Any info on whether these guys have been linked to the recent burglaries in Allied Arts?
Officer Shaw has been around a long time, knows how to find a crook!! Nice bit of police work. Thanks for keeping the neighborhood safe!!
How did the officer get injured and what happened to the third occupant in the car?
Yes, Office Shaw knows the streets of Menlo quite well; the residents and thugs, he had good instincts. Thanks, Steve!
Did I miss something? At what point was the “tussle?”
Christian Pattee’s name is incorrectly spelt on this report and his age is innacurate please check your sources because this is false information reported.