Investigators arrest man who fled from Amador County court appearance in April
JACKSON — A man who fled from a court appearance in Amador County in April was arrested Tuesday afternoon near the Sacramento County line.
David Lee Salke, Jr., 35, was booked into the Amador County Jail on misdemeanor escape from custody, vandalism, petty theft, and various firearms-related charges. The Amador County Sheriff's Office said Salke also faces charges of evading a peace officer, vehicle theft and reckless driving on a highway.
The sheriff's office said it received information Tuesday morning regarding California Highway Patrol officers contacting a known acquaintance of Salke who was in a disabled vehicle along Ione Michigan Bar Road in Sacramento County near the Amador County line. Investigators later learned that another unidentified man in the vehicle reportedly then walked away from it.
Investigators questioned the acquaintance and were able to confirm that the man who walked away from the vehicle was Salke. Later in the afternoon, authorities in unmarked vehicles spotted Salke walking by a residence near Carbondale and Maxell roads in Amador County.
Responding officers arrested Salke at around 1:40 p.m. without incident.
Salke was appearing at the Argonaut Lane courthouse on the afternoon of April 27 to face weapons charges when the judge remanded him into custody.
However, deputies say Salke apparently didn't like that decision and instead ran out of the door. He was able to hop over a barbed wire fence, with deputies saying he also crossed the Argonaut High School campus.
"The interesting part is his acrobatics in getting out of the room after people were chasing him," said Lt. Brandon Cone with the Amador County Sheriff's Office after Salke's escape.
Deputies say Salke managed to steal a truck -- and hit at least one unmarked car during a deputy pursuit. The chase was eventually called off.