Deputies from the Sonoma Police Department and the Sonoma Valley Sheriff’s Substation arrested a wanted parolee after an extended chase on Saturday. The incident started about 4:30 PM on Saturday afternoon when an anonymous call came in that a wanted parolee named Alexander Edwards was currently at a home in the 19500 block of Cypress Lane in Sonoma.
Deputies were familiar with Edwards as he has fled from them at least nine times in the past. The deputies met in the area of Cypress and Petaluma Ave in Sonoma to strategize the best way to take him into custody. As they were preplanning, Edwards drove his white Ford Ranger from Cypress Lane onto Cypress Road and then accelerated towards the deputies.
A deputy, who was standing outside his patrol car, shut his door and pressed himself against his car as Edwards sped by him at about 60 -70 mph, narrowly missing him by about one foot. Edwards turned left and continued west on Petaluma Ave but crashed his truck on an embankment at the intersection of Petaluma and Arnold Dr.
Deputies found the truck crashed at that intersection with the driver side door open. Bystanders were pointing towards the Faith Lutheran Church on Arnold Dr and a deputy spotted him in the bushes on the church property. Edwards started running in a northeast direction as the deputy approached and the deputy lost sight of him.
Neighbors in the area began calling in sightings of Alexander. One caller stated they saw him steal a small pink girls bicycle and rode out of the neighborhood. Several minutes later a caller from the Starling Bar at Hwy 12 and W Spain Street called stating Edwards showed up there on a small pink bicycle asking for a ride because his wife was having a baby. He ultimately left the bar on his bicycle but was then called in by a neighbor who sighted him in the area of Junipero Serra Drive in Sonoma.
A deputy spotted the girls pink bicycle abandoned in the 700 block of Fano Dr in Sonoma and deputies formed a perimeter in that area and started door to door searching. Deputies found a broken fence and an unlocked door to a home in the 700 block of Fano Dr. Deputies opened the front door and announced their presence. After a few minutes passed, a 12-year-old girl came downstairs and exited the residence stating that he was in her parent’s bedroom and had taken her phone from her. The 12- year old girl did not suffer any injuries but was frightened by the ordeal.
Deputies entered the residence and found Edwards hiding in the attic above the master bedroom. Deputies were able to open the attic door and Edwards had his feet dangling out of the opening but refused to come down. After several refusals to comply, a deputy applied his Taser and Edwards was forcibly removed from the attic and taken into custody.
Edwards was ultimately booked into the Sonoma County jail with numerous felony charges including assault with a deadly weapon on an officer, evading arrest, burglary, robbery, child cruelty and petty theft. He is being held in the Sonoma County Jail on $200,000 bail.
The owner of the pink bicycle was located and we were able to reunite the young girl with her bicycle. The deputies ordered her a basket and a lock for her bike. We also want to thank the Sonoma public for their awareness and assistance in all their help with this case. This was truly a community effort.
Prepared by: Sgt. Spencer Crum
CR: SPD 180001102
Media Inquiries: 707-565-3941
