Suspect jailed in stolen vehicle case involving assault on San Rafael police officer
SAN RAFAEL (CBS SF) -- Police arrested an Oakland man on Monday after he went on a several-week-long crime spree across the Bay Area, during which he reportedly assaulted a San Rafael police officer, according to police officials.
Officers caught James Henry Flournoy, 44, in San Pablo while trying to locate a stolen vehicle in that city. Flournoy was wanted by the San Rafael Police Department in connection with an incident earlier this month in which an officer attempted to stop a suspected car thief and was rammed by the stolen vehicle.
At around 4:45 p.m. on Dec. 8, officers responded to reports of a vehicle stolen from a Mercedes-Benz dealership on Francisco Boulevard West. Witnesses said a male suspect walked into the service garage and stole a customer's 2021 black Mercedes GLS450 SUV.
Hours later, officers located the vehicle at the San Rafael Yacht Club. Flournoy was behind the wheel, police said. As the officer gave commands to the driver, the SUV suddenly reversed and pinned the officer to the driver's door of his police car.
Flournoy them attempted to flee but was blocked by other officers who arrived on the scene. Meanwhile, the first officer had fallen to the ground due to injuries.
Police said the Flournoy rammed another police car, then drove to the back of the parking lot before coming back towards the officers at what was described as a "high rate of speed." The suspect then drove back towards the injured officer, who was limping at the time.
Two other officers placed themselves between the advancing vehicle and the injured officer, pointing their weapons and ordering for Flournoy to stop. Flournoy briefly complied and stopped the vehicle, but seconds later, Flournoy placed the vehicle in reverse and drove back toward the back of the parking lot again and escaped capture, police said.
The injured officer was taken to the hospital and was released a short time later. He was expected to make a full recovery.
San Rafael police detectives working with Marin County's Special Investigations Unit and Auto Theft Task Force identified Flournoy as the suspect. They then compared surveillance video from the case with images from other law enforcement agencies that showed Flournoy committing crimes in other jurisdictions, police said. A press statement from the SRPD said it appeared Flournoy had been on a multi-jurisdictional crime spree over several weeks.
Flournoy will be extradited to Marin County to be charged with assault with a deadly weapon against a police officer, obstructing an officer, and possession of a stolen vehicle.