Police arrest stabbing suspect who tried to flee by swimming in Petaluma river
PETALUMA (CBS SF/BCN) – Petaluma police arrested a repeat offender Wednesday who reportedly tried to stab a construction worker before fleeing officers by swimming back and forth across the Petaluma River, authorities said.
Michael Thorne, 37, was arrested for the eighth time this year after he allegedly attempted to stab the worker at the Riverfront Housing Development near Bautista and Soto ways, Petaluma police said.
Thorne allegedly threatened to kill the victim and then slashed and stabbed construction truck tires, managing to flatten one of the tires, police said.
When officers arrived, Thorne fled through the construction site, and made it to the eastern bank of the Petaluma River. When he was spotted hiding in some bushes, he jumped in the river.
He started to swim to the west bank but saw Petaluma Police Chief Ken Savano and members of the investigations unit who had responded.
Thorne turned and started to swim toward Heritage Salvage, and police requested assistance from Petaluma Fire Department and their watercraft.
After about 10 minutes of negotiating, Thorne swam back to the east bank, where he was taken into custody.
He was booked at Sonoma County Jail on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, brandishing a weapon and other misdemeanors.
It was the eighth arrest since April for Thorne, police said. Most recently, in August, Thorne was arrested for allegedly striking a man in the head with a 2-foot metal pipe causing a laceration requiring treatment at the hospital, police said.