Monterey man arrested after fleeing police three times – Monterey Herald

On July 3, Monterey Police officers conducted surveillance on Cielo Vista Drive to locate and arrest 58-year-old Leslie Flores. Flores had 14 outstanding warrants at the time, four of which were for felonies. Police were also aware that Flores was in possession of a firearm.

After police confirmed that Flores was inside his home, they formed a security perimeter around the house. Flores noticed the police presence and ran out the back door.

A Monterey police officer confronted him, but Flores ran to the side of the house, climbed a tree and entered his home through an open window.

Police requested mutual aid and activated the Monterey Peninsula Regional Special Response Unit. In addition, Seaside police and Fire Drone Team, California Highway Patrol and Monterey County Sheriff’s K-9 units responded.

Over the next few hours, the Special Forces spoke to Flores over loudspeakers, telling him he was under arrest and to leave the house. The Special Forces Crisis Negotiation Team attempted to use various methods to contact Flores, but police said they were unsuccessful.

After several hours of no response, SWAT broke through the front door and the Monterey County Sheriff’s drone team used its interior drones to clear the home. Flores was not located during the initial search.

Then the special unit began searching every room. The officers knew there was a hiding place under the house, but could not find it during their search.

One officer reported seeing what appeared to be a fresh handprint on the wall in the hiding place beneath the house. It appeared as though a tunnel had been dug leading into an adjacent room. The entrance to the tunnel was obscured and officers could not see what was on the other side.

The special operations team used a chainsaw to cut open the floor in the adjacent room. After removing several floorboards, the team discovered Flores in a six-foot-deep hole under the floorboards.

Flores was arrested around 2:15 a.m. on July 4 after an eight-hour incident.

Due to outstanding warrants, he was transported to the Monterey County Jail and was additionally charged with obstructing a peace officer.

In the last few months, Flores has escaped the Monterey police three times.

On April 25, an officer recognized Flores in the 300 block of Larkin and attempted to stop his car, but Flores fled the traffic stop without regard for nearby pedestrians or cars, police said.

On June 22, a Monterey police officer spotted Flores in the 100 block of Cielo Vista. However, when Flores saw the officer, he ran on foot into the Skyline Forest area. Officers attempted to find him but were unsuccessful.

On June 27, police spotted Flores in the area of ​​Mar Vista Drive and Porta Vista Drive. They again attempted to stop Flores’ car, but he again drove into traffic and evaded arrest.