Los Gatos Police Arrest Wanted Parolee After Speeding, Crashing, Fleeing

A wanted parolee was arrested the evening of Nov. 30 after driving a stolen vehicle at dangerous high speeds, fleeing from police, crashing and running on foot through a northeast Los Gatos neighborhood.

Tyler Graham Griffin, 31, was arrested and booked into Santa Clara County Jail at about 11 p.m. that rainy night by Los Gatos-Monte Sereno police and was charged with a variety of offenses, including parole violation, felon in possession of a stun gun, hit-and-run, possession of stolen property, possession of burglary tools, and for being under the influence of narcotics.

Police first spotted him at 9:06 p.m. in the Los Gatos Lodge parking lot, driving a dark-colored Mazda CX9 2011 with the headlights off, stolen from Capitol Mazda.

When the officer tried to contact Griffin, he fled eastbound onto Highway 9, then onto northbound Los Gatos Boulevard at unsafe high speeds, said Los Gatos Monte Sereno police Sgt. spokesman Kerry Harris.

Because of the rainy weather and the reckless way Griffin was driving, the officer did not pursue him, but followed northbound where he found debris on Los Gatos Boulevard at Nino Avenue where he crashed into a street light pole, knocking it over, Harris said. 

A witness said that Griffin then fled northbound on Los Gatos Boulevard.

A few minutes later, police received a 911 call from a resident on Mitchell Avenue who advised that a vehicle had crashed near their home, that the driver, who matched Griffin's description, had fled the crash scene on foot, running through front and back yards, Harris said.

At 9:12 p.m., officers  located Griffin hiding beneath a truck in the driveway of a Mitchell Avenue home. He was taken into custody.

Recovered from the stolen vehicle was a police radio scanner, set and broadcasting local police radio channels, black gloves, a stun gun, bolt cutters, and items suspected of being stolen, including a laptop computer, a cell phone and an iPad, according to Harris. 

Officers determined that Griffin was on parole and had a criminal history of theft, auto theft and narcotics violations. He was found to be under the influence of methamphetamine at the time of his arrest, he added.

The investigation is under way to identify what of the items found in the vehicle are stolen, he said.

"The fact that the suspect had a stolen a car, separately stole license plates, and had the tools to engage in significant and potentially violent criminal activity underscores the importance of having our residents remain vigilant against individuals who come to Los Gatos and Monte Sereno to perpetrate crimes," Harris said.

"It also makes it clear that the diligence and quick-thinking of these officers resulted in a dangerous criminal being removed from our community, before untold numbers of our residents fell victim to his actions," Harris noted.

A corporal and four officers were involved in the incident searching for the suspect in the Mitchell Avenue/Los Gatos Boulevard area, then processing the crime scene, collecting evidence, identifying stolen property, and booking him into county jail.