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Parolee Arrested In Mendocino County After Weekend Standoff, Dousing Self With Gasoline

ALBION (CBS SF) -- A parolee wanted in connection with a high-speed chase in mid-July was arrested in Mendocino County Saturday night after a tense, hours-long standoff that included the suspect dousing himself with gasoline and threatening to blow himself up.

On July 17, 2020, at approximately 10:10 p.m., a Mendocino County Deputy Sheriff attempted to make a traffic stop on a Toyota Tacoma for an observed vehicle code violation in downtown Point Arena.

The driver -- later identified as Marc Lucas, who was on active parole for Assault with a Deadly Weapon on a Peace Officer -- failed to yield and led the deputy on an eight-mile pursuit that ended when the deputy lost sight of the vehicle in the area of Ten Mile Road and Iverson Drive.

After Lucas was positively identified, the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office sought and obtained an arrest warrant for two counts of felony evasion. Over the course of the next 12 days, authorities searched numerous locations on the south coast for Lucas without locating the suspect. The sheriff's office additionally petitioned for and was granted a parole warrant last week on July 30.

On Saturday at approximately 1:44 p.m., deputies and a California Highway Patrol officer actively searching for Lucas on the 29000 block of Albion Ridge Road spotted the suspect driving his Toyota Tacoma. After Lucas again refused to stop and led authorities on a brief pursuit, the suspect turned onto Albion Ridge "I" Road and came to a stop.

Lucas exited his vehicle and he told deputies he was armed with an SKS semi-automatic assault-style rifle that he partially removed from the truck. He ignored instructions to drop the weapon and surrender, instead demanding that deputies leave him alone. He also threatened to shoot any deputies who attempted to take him into custody.

Lucas also said he would use his truck to ram through their patrol vehicles and later intentionally crashed the truck into a patrol vehicle that was blocking him and providing officers with cover from possible rifle fire.

One of the deputies deployed K-9 "Takoda" to apprehend Lucas, but the suspect quickly entered his vehicle and repeatedly slammed the truck door closed on the dog's head. Lucas then exited the vehicle and a sheriff's sergeant attempted to Taser the suspect without success.

The suspect took a gasoline can from the back of the truck and poured gasoline over his body and the interior of the vehicle, threatening to "blow up" himself and any deputies near him.

Lucas then barricaded himself inside his vehicle and remained there into the evening through the arrival of the Mendocino County SWAT team and several hours of negotiation without cooperation from Lucas.

Shortly before 8 p.m., SWAT members used a fire hose to shoot water into the suspect's vehicle, reducing the risk of fire or explosion by flushing out the gasoline. After approximately 15 seconds of flooding water into the cab of the vehicle, Lucas exited the truck and was taken into custody.

The suspect was given first aid by a SWAT paramedic at the scene and was transported to a local hospital for a medical clearance. Authorities determined that the weapon Lucas brandished at officers was an air-powered pellet rifle.

The suspect was booked into the Mendocino County Jail for multiple charges of felony evasion, resisting arrest, assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer and parole violation.

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