Aug 19, 2008 11:04 pm US/Pacific
Suspected Serial Robber Arrested After E.Bay Chase
PLESANTON (BCN) ―
After a high-speed chase that began in Pleasanton and ended in near Manteca, police this morning arrested a 26-year-old man suspected of at least 10 robberies throughout Northern California.
On Monday, Pleasanton police were notified that Michael Ferguson was wanted after fleeing a traffic stop in Dublin where a large amount of the drug Oxycontin was found.
Police identified Ferguson, a Manteca resident, as a suspect from a number of drug store robberies that included stolen Oxycontin.
At about 9:15 a.m. today, Ferguson was located in a Ford Escort that was parked at the Pleasanton Gale-Schenone Courthouse. Officers attempted to block the vehicle but Ferguson was able to flee in the Escort.
A police sergeant stood outside his marked police vehicle with the door open and ordered the suspect to halt. But police said Ferguson drove at the police vehicle, striking the door, which then hit the sergeant. The sergeant sustained a forehead contusion but was otherwise uninjured.
Ferguson continued to flee north through Pleasanton and onto eastbound Interstate Highway 580, police said. The California Highway Patrol was contacted to take over the pursuit in the area of Livermore. Near Manteca, Ferguson allegedly stopped the car and surrendered.
Ferguson is believed to have been responsible for robbing businesses in Pleasanton, Manteca, Hayward, San Ramon, Stockton, Sacramento, Modesto, Tracy and Escalon. Most of the targeted businesses were drug stores.
He is being charged with multiple counts of armed robbery, one count of felony evading police, one count of assault with a deadly weapon against a peace officer and felony hit-and-run.
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