Morgan Hill – A teen was arrested for wielding a pellet gun and resisting arrest – and three others were arrested on various charges –Â outside a Morgan Hill shopping center.
Morgan Hill police received a call from a witness reporting someone had a handgun near a black Lexus SUV about 7:17 p.m. Wednesday, according to Sgt. Troy Hoefling. The incident was reported in the parking lot of Vineyard Town Center.
Officers arrived at the scene and made a “high-risk approach” on the Lexus, Hoefling said. Standing next to the vehicle were two men in their 20s from Santa Clara – one who was holding an infant child.
A 17-year-old male was standing near the front of the car, police said. Officers ordered him to show his hands. The teen was asked several times to do so, and to keep his hands above his head.
Instead, the juvenile repeatedly placed his hands on his front and rear waistband, Hoefling said. Officers were able to get closer to the suspect and physically take him to the ground.
When they did so, a black handgun and a fixed-blade knife fell to the ground, police said. The teen continued to resist officers, and he was placed in handcuffs.
The handgun was later determined to be a pellet gun, Hoefling said.
The older male subjects were also detained after police gave them multiple commands, according to Hoefling.
Police searched the vehicle and found another black pellet gun, which also looked like a handgun, on the rear floorboard, police said.
As officers were searching the vehicle, a woman identified as Tomasina Clay, 28 of Gilroy, approached. She said she was the owner of the vehicle, and the mother of two children inside. Clay told police she had just returned from a nearby store to buy some items.
Officers determined Clay had a $10,000 outstanding warrant for petty theft, and she was arrested, Hoefling said.
Clay told police the other males near the vehicle were her friends. They were arrested and transported to the Morgan Hill police station for booking, Hoefling said. The children were later released to a relative.
Arrested were Timothy Grimes, 23 of Santa Clara, on suspicion of child endangerment and resisting arrest; Jacob Coronado, 27 of Santa Clara, on suspicion of child endangerment and resisting arrest; and the teen on suspicion of child endangerment, resisting arrest and carrying a concealed weapon, Hoefling said.
