Agustin Palomares attacked in jail
UPDATE 3/29/2016 2:05 PM: Agustin Palomares was attacked at the Santa Cruz County Jail, according to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office.
The office said several inmates beat him up. No word on the extent of his injuries. or what led to the attack.
Meanwhile, Palomares appeared in court on Tuesday. According toSanta Cruz County Assistant District Attorney Sara Dabkowski, the judge confirmed bail at $450,000.
Palomares is due back in court on April 20.
UPDATE 3/25/16 2:50 PM: Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Agustin Palomares Friday afternoon in Watsonville.
The District Attorney’s Office said Palomares failed to appear in court for a second time. His bail was then increased to $450,000.
“The court cases were on today (Friday) at 8:15 a.m. in Santa Cruz. The defendant didn’t show up. We waited until about 10 o’clock, finally called the cases and the judge reissued bench warrants,” saidSanta Cruz County Assistant District Attorney Sara Dabkowski.
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The man at the center of a nearly 40-hour standoff in a Salinas neighborhood is wanted again after not showing up for a court date.
“Local law enforcement officers are already aware of the fact that he didn’t come to court today and they are taking steps to locate Mr. Palomares,” saidSanta Cruz County Assistant District Attorney Sara Dabkowski.
Agustin Leon-Palomares, 30, bailed out of the Santa Cruz County Jail on March 8, but a judge ordered him to be present in court on March 16 for his arraignment. His bail was $120,000.
“He has a number of different charges for felony criminal threats, felony stalking, felony for taking or driving someone else’s vehicle without their permission and felony vandalism,” said Dabkowski.
In February, Palomares escaped a home he was hiding in on Cherokee Drive in Salinas after U.S. Marshals tried to arrest him. Law enforcement eventually tracked him downat America’s Best Value Inn in Salinas a few days later.
“There was a lot of resources that went into it. We had to call in extra reinforcements and extra personnel from other agencies to assist because it was such a long process,” said Frank Conroy with the U.S. Marshals Service.
A judge issued a warrant for his capture. KION spoke to Palomares’ attorney over the phone and said his client is not on the run and that this is just a misunderstanding.
Still, the District Attorney’s Office said Palomares could face additional charges for not showing up in court.
“Sometimes we add a failure to appear but it depends on the circumstances of why someone didn’t come to court,” said Dabkowski.