Palo Alto Attempted Carjacking Suspect Arrested After Officer Uses Stun Gun
PALO ALTO (CBS SF) – A Palo Alto police officer used a stun gun on a man suspected of attempting to carjack a woman outside a coffee shop early Sunday morning.
Police said the woman stopped by Peet's Coffee at the Town and Country Shopping Center around 6:30 a.m. When she returned to her SUV, which was unlocked and had the key inside, she saw the man in the driver's seat, apparently trying to steal her vehicle.
The woman tried to remove the suspect from the car, but he refused. She tried to kick at him and yelled for help. Police said the suspect also threatened to kill a bystander who tried to help.
An officer arrived within three minutes of the first call and found the suspect partially inside the vehicle, police said. The suspect refused to listen to the officer's commands and moved towards the officer in what police described as an "aggressive manner," prompting the officer to use their stun gun, striking the suspect.
Police said the suspect was taken into custody without further incident and was medically cleared at a local hospital before being booked, per standard procedure.
The woman was not injured, police said.
The suspect, identified as 53-year-old William Blair Chase, was booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail on suspicion of felony carjacking and resisting arrest. According to jail records, he is being held at the Elmwood Correctional Facility in Milpitas on $100,000 bail. Chase is expected to appear in court on Thursday.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Palo Alto Police at 650-329-2415. Tips can be given anonymously by emailing paloalto@tipnow.org or via text or voicemail at 650-383-8984.