Morgan Hill and San Jose police caught up to a man with $1.6 million worth of warrants out for his arrest, after he fled a traffic stop last week, authorities said.
Last Thursday about 11:20 p.m., a Morgan Hill officer made a traffic stop on a black 2010 Nissan Altima for expired registration near the intersection of Main Avenue and Butterfield Boulevard, according to Morgan Hill Police Sgt. Troy Hoefling.
The driver yielded to the curb, and the male driver – the only occupant of the vehicle – exited the vehicle and fled on foot northbound along Butterfield Boulevard, police said. The man, later identified as Jacob Ruben Magdaleno, 37 of San Jose, was last seen running through the drainage channel along Butterfield Boulevard.
The officer who stopped Magdaleno called for assistance and a search of the area was conducted, but the suspect was not located that night, Hoefling said.
An investigation revealed that Magdaleno had been staying the night at a Morgan Hill hotel with a female friend, police said. Magdaleno began making death threats by text message to the woman, whom he thought had called the police to turn him in for outstanding warrants.
Magdaleno had been driving on a suspended license, and had four warrants out for his arrest totaling $1.6 million, Hoefling said. The warrants were based on charges of violation of a protective order, burglary, flight from a police officer while operating a motor vehicle and driving on a suspended license.
On Saturday at 1:30 a.m., Morgan Hill police – with assistance from San Jose police – found Magdaleno in the area of Monterey Road and Rancho Drive in San Jose, authorities said.
He was arrested without incident and booked at Santa Clara County Jail for the outstanding warrants, and on suspicion of a number of offenses related to the Feb. 7 Morgan Hill incident, including resisting arrest, violation of a protective order, terrorist threats and driving on a suspended license, according to Hoefling.
“As a result of the joint effort between the Morgan Hill and San Jose police departments, officers were able to apprehend a dangerous and violent individual,” Hoefling said.
