Monterey County man found guilty of assaulting officers, evading police
SALINAS, Calif. (KION) A Monterey County man with a history of run-ins with law enforcement has been found guilty of four counts of assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer, two counts of evading an officer with willful disregard, evading an officer against traffic, two counts of resisting arrest and driving on a suspended license.
The Monterey County District Attorney's Office said the incident started on Feb. 24 when a Carmel officers saw a vehicle with expired registration and a current registration tag near a Carmel inn. The officer said he saw the suspect, Francis Anthony Humes, walk between the car and the inn.
When Humes got into the vehicle and left the parking lot, the officer tried to stop him for traffic violations, but the officer said Humes took off, driving at about 60 miles per hour through a neighborhood while running stop signs. Other officers who responded were able to contact Humes when he returned to the inn. The DA's Office said that when an officer tried to detain him, he ran away, got into a vehicle and left before he could be caught.
Just over a week later on March 5, a California Highway Patrol officer was on patrol on Highway 101 near San Miguel Canyon Road and said he saw a driver, identified as Humes, in a green Chevy truck. The officer said he saw Humes try to get off on an exit by cutting off a big rig, and the big rig had to brake and go onto the shoulder to prevent a crash.
When the officer tried to get behind Humes, he said he cut back onto the 101 at 95 miles per hour and tried to head toward Highway 156 and Prunedale South Road.
Humes reportedly led the officer on a chase through Prunedale on surface streets and Highway 101, and he reportedly turned of his vehicle lights and passed other vehicles at 90-100 miles per hour. Humes also reportedly drove the wrong way on the road and nearly hit other vehicles.
Investigators said Humes lost control of the vehicle when he hit a dirt embankment while taking the Pesante Road exit off Highway 101. When that happened, he reportedly started driving south in northbound lanes toward officers chasing him.
The DA's Office said Humes was driving at about 30 to 40 miles per hour when he ran into the front of a patrol car with two officers inside. He then reportedly reversed at a high speed, hit the front of a second patrol car and pulled forward, hitting a third patrol car.
After that, the DA's Office said Humes ran and fought officers when they tried to arrest him. One officer had a concussion and a deputy had minor injuries.
Humes' sentencing is set for Aug. 16.
This does not appear to be the first time Humes has had run-ins with law enforcement. A Monterey man named Francis Anthony Humes was arrested on Viejo Road in January 2020 on burglary, vehicle theft, possession of stolen property and drug possession. At the time, he was wanted in five California counties.
The Monterey County Sheriff's Office said the man is connected to an illegal cannabis grow near San Benancio Middle School, an illegal cannabis operation in Monterey County and an attempt to turn in a stolen vehicle at the Monterey airport.
