Crime & Safety
Burglary Suspects Arrested After Escaping From Novato Police
One of the suspects punched a Novato police officer in the face.
Two East Bay burglary suspects who escaped from police detention were eventually arrested on Thursday amid frantic circumstances after a Novato police officer was assaulted, authorities said.
Police responding to a report of a burglary in progress at the Designer Shoe Warehouse on 136 Vintage Way initially detained Donald Eames,32 of Oakland, and Cecilia Watson, 34 of Berkeley, for questioning, Sgt. Sasha D'Amico said.
Eames lunged at one of the officers and punched him in the face during his police interrogation, D'Amico said. He and Watson fled the scene, with Eames running into a nearby vehicle and Watson across an adjacent parking lot.
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Eames drove toward an officer who had to take evasive action to avoid being hit, D'Amico said.
One of the officers radioed NPD Dispatchers with the vehicle license plate, setting off a county-wide search.
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Marin County Sherriff deputies located the vehicle and pursued it to San Rafael, where they detained Eames, D'Amico said. Watson was detained by shopping center security guards.
The officer who Eames attacked suffered minor injuries.
Eames was arrested on suspicion of burglary, conspiracy, false impersonation, provide false identification to a police officer (during his initial interrogation), resisting arrest, battery on a police officer and assault with a deadly weapon.
Watson was arrested on suspicion of burglary, conspiracy and resisting arrest.
Both suspects were booked at Marin County Jail.