Burglary Suspect Attempts to Outrun Sheriff’s K-9 in Riverbank
Sunday morning at about 3:00AM, Riverbank Police Deputies responded to a report of a burglary in progress at the Riverbank City Corp. Yard. As deputies arrived on scene, they spotted a Mercedes SUV leaving the area and attempted to do a traffic stop on it. The driver, Lucas Gilliland, did not stop forcing the deputies to pursue him. At one point during the pursuit, Lucas drove head-on directly towards a deputy’s patrol car. The deputy was able to take evasive action and drive onto the shoulder of road to avoid a collision.
Lucas then drove through several orchards and into a field, eventually crashing into a fence at the Riverbank Wastewater Treatment Facility. As deputies pulled up behind the car, Lucas was attempting to drive this car back and forth on the fence, attempting to flee again. As two deputies began to approach the car from the side, they noticed Lucas was close to dislodging his car and almost struck a third deputy approaching. The deputies were able to shoot out the rear tires of the Lucas’s car to disable it.
Deputies broke out the rear window of the Lucas’s car and continued to give him orders to surrender, but he refused. Deputies attempted to use pepper spray on Lucas, but he climbed out of the car and fled on foot across the downed fence.
With the assistance of a Sheriff’s Canine Unit, deputies pursued
Lucas on foot into the field. Lucas again refused to surrender to deputies. The canine was deployed and was able to safely apprehend Lucas. Lucas was taken into custody without any deputies getting injured. The Mercedes SUV which Lucas was driving was also a reported stolen car.
Lucas was arrested and booked into jail for burglary, assault with a deadly weapon, resisting arrest, evading, auto theft, and several other felony charges.
