Man threatened deputy with knife before hours-long search, Amador Sheriff’s Office says
A large-scale search over several hours Monday ended with the arrest of a man who reportedly pulled out a knife during an encounter with an Amador County sheriff’s deputy, broke into a home and briefly struggled with deputies as he was taken into custody, officials said.
Jesse Alan Slayton, 29, was arrested on suspicion of exhibiting a deadly weapon at a peace officer, exhibiting a deadly weapon in a threatening manner in the presence of another person, first-degree burglary, vandalism of private property, resisting or obstructing a peace officer and violating probation, according to a news release from the Amador County Sheriff’s Office.
The circumstances that led to Slayton’s arrest began Monday morning, when a suspicious man entered a Carbondale Road job site in Ione. The man reportedly approached workers there, displayed erratic behavior and asked them for food and shoes.
The workers turned away the man who was spotted jumping fences in the neighborhood and lurking around homes. Information about this man was consistent with the description of a suspect in several burglaries in the previous few days, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
A deputy responded and spotted a man, later identified as Slayton, who matched the description, near Carbondale Road and Muller Road. Sheriff’s officials said the deputy spoke to Slayton, who told the deputy he was armed and showed the deputy he had several knives concealed under his shirt.
The deputy tried to take away the knives, but Slayton pulled away from the deputy, pulled out a knife and brandished the weapon at the deputy in a threatening manner, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
The deputy stepped back to create some distance and called for other deputies to help as Slayton jumped a fence and left the area through streams and heavy brush.
Authorities alerted residents about law enforcement activity in the area with a “Code Red” public safety advisement. Sheriff’s deputies, a K9 unit, California Highway Patrol officers, a CHP helicopter and Cal Fire law enforcement searched for Slayton throughout the day.
Late Monday afternoon, Welsh Pond Road residents reported Slayton was inside their home armed with a knife, according to the Sheriff’s Office. The residents told authorities Slayton then left the home.
Sheriff’s officials said law enforcement officers who were staged in the area quickly spotted Slayton, who was chased by a sheriff’s K9 unit as he again brandished a knife. They said deputies took Slayton into custody after a brief struggle.
This story was originally published November 10, 2021 at 3:20 PM.
