Officers' Patience Helped Lead To Arrest Of Juvenile Stabbing Suspect
(CBS4) - The teenager who escaped custody in the Denver area after stabbing a guard escorting him to a dental appointment was taken back into custody late Tuesday afternoon.
Seventeen-year-old Juan Ocegueda was captured just a few blocks from the dental office near 44th and Sheridan Boulevard following an hours-long manhunt by law enforcement.
"He did have a little bit of blood on him on the sleeves of his shirt sweater. He just looked like he cooperated -- no fight or nothing, he just walked out," Francisco Fernandez said.
He was with several others working on Eaton Street where the suspect was found.
"Literally like five houses down, this guy was hiding there," Fernandez told CBS4 reporter Connor McCue.
According to investigators, Ocegueda was being housed at the Platte Valley Youth Service Center in Greeley on violent charges including carjacking and robbery. He was brought to Primary Dental in Lakeside for a procedure, which the state says is not uncommon if they cannot provide the care within one of their centers.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Colorado Department of Human Services said "They are transported to a dentist willing to provide care to youth in secure custody. Not all communities have a dental provider willing to provide services to youth in the divisions care."
At some point, Ocegueda's handcuffs were removed and he was able to use a knife to stab the guard he was with and escapee. His legs were still shackled.
Deonte Webb, who works nearby, saw the teen flee.
"He was wearing a white shirt tan pants. We just seen him, he just ran that way back into the alley," Webb said, unaware at the time of what the teen was accused of.
A police K-9 team wound up finding Ocegueda hours later hiding in a garage in that same alley.
Mountain View Police Chief Steve Davis says patience by his officers helped lead to the arrest.
"It's just tedious and you just have to wait them out like in this case," Davis said.
Investigators say the knife the suspect had did not belong to the dental office. They do not know where it came from.
In addition to the charges he is currently being held, for the teen will likely face an attempted murder charge as well.
According to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, the agency now leading the investigation, says the guard was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries and was released from the hospital Tuesday afternoon.
