County prosecutors filed charges against three suspects arrested Monday by Santa Clarita deputies after a resident reported suspicious activity in Newhall.
Kenneth David Chandler, 35; Collin Robert Earheart, 26; and Jacob Walker, 22, all of Bakersfield, are all facing several charges regarding alleged burglaries Santa Clarita deputies uncovered in the 25400 block of Embelden Avenue.
Deputies investigated the report at about 4:30 a.m. in the Calgrove area of Newhall, just east of Interstate 5, according to Sgt. Tim Vander Leek of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, in a previous interview with The Signal.
Deputies came across the aforementioned suspects looking into cars with flashlights, according to a statement by station officials at the time of their arrest Monday. When deputies approached the suspects, they drove away in two separate cars.
The deputies immediately detained one of the two vehicles, but one car fled from the scene westbound on Calgrove Boulevard and eventually entered northbound Interstate 5.
Another patrol car followed the vehicle onto the freeway, but did not initiate a pursuit, the sergeant said.
The search for the third suspect involved a brief campus lockdown for CalArts sometime before 5:45 a.m., after initial reports indicated that a suspect fleeing deputies might have been in possession of a gun.
The campus was not affected by the incident, and the lockdown was put in place as a precaution, officials said.
Investigators suspected the third suspect, while he was running from deputies, might have abandoned evidence in the area. Deputies searched the area and reportedly found an “Airsoft” gun, according to station officials. Deputies also recovered stolen property they believed to be connected to the vehicle burglaries.
Chandler is being charged with two felony counts of second-degree burglary; a felony count of grand theft firearm; a felony count of identity theft; and two misdemeanor counts of petty theft.
Earhart was charged with two felony counts of second-degree burglary; a felony count of grand theft firearm; a felony count of felon in possession of ammunition; and two misdemeanor counts of petty theft.
Walker was charged with two felony counts of second-degree burglary; a felony count of grand theft firearm; and two misdemeanor counts of petty theft.
Sgt. Chris Maurizi of the station’s robbery/burglary unit, which followed up on the initial investigation, commended the witness who phoned in the initial report and the deputies who responded.
“If not for their good police work and quick response,” he said, “we would not be able to file these charges.”
