San Jose Police Break Up Gambling Operation; Officer Hurt
SAN JOSE (BCN) -- Three people were arrested in a public park in eastern San Jose on Sunday during a crackdown on an alleged gambling ring, a police spokesman said Monday.
Officers responded to Hillview Park at Adrian Way and Ocala Avenue around 5:10 p.m. to break up an alleged gambling operation there, Sgt. Ronnie Lopez said.
Residents near the park had often complained to police about the blatant, high-stakes gambling that was allegedly taking place there, Lopez said.
Upon entering the park, officers came upon a dice game. Most of the people cooperated with officers, but one man took off running toward a nearby neighborhood, Lopez said. Police pursued the man through the neighborhood, leaping over fences behind him.
Police blocked off several blocks near the park and called in a helicopter to track down the man who ran from the gambling bust, Lopez said. After about two hours of searching, he was found and arrested.
The man has been identified as Eduardo Gomez, 25, of San Jose, according to police Officer Jose Garcia.
He was booked into Santa Clara County jail on felony charges of evading an officer and misdemeanor illegal gambling. Gomez had a warrant for driving with a suspended license, which might have been the reason he was running from the officer, Garcia said.
One officer suffered a cut to his leg while hopping over one of the fences, Lopez said. He was taken to a local hospital for treatment of his injury, which was not life threatening, Lopez said.
Two of the other 30 people who were detained were also arrested. They have been identified as Gustavo Diaz, 19, of San Jose and Mario Esquivel, 40.
Both were arrested for felony possession of marijuana for sale.
Diaz was additionally arrested for a probation violation.
(© 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Bay City News contributed to this report.)
