Atascadero car thief flees to elementary school

November 3, 2015

An intoxicated car thief fled authorities onto the campus of an Atascadero elementary school on Monday, according to the city’s police department. The elementary school, as well as a neighboring continuation high school went into lockdown.

Around 12:18 p.m., Atascadero police responded to a traffic collision in the area of Del Rio Road and San Benito Road. A driver involved in the collision was possibly under the influence, according to an Atascadero Police Department news release.

The driver, 20-year-old Jeremiah James Aguilar Lockaton, fled on foot and jumped a fence onto the property of San Benito Elementary School, the press release states. Lockaton, an Atascadero resident, was fleeing a vehicle that had been reported stolen, police say.

At the time Lockaton fled, officers were in the area for an unrelated call. They responded to the scene quickly, but they did not locate the suspect.

Officials placed San Benito Elementary and Del Rio Continuation High School on lockdown. Officers searched the elementary school and the adjacent property and requested help from the county sheriff’s K9.

Around 3 p.m., officers had left the area, but returned later responding to reports of an intoxicated person who matched the description of the suspect.

Lockaton again fled on foot. Police then arrested him near Chico Road and Ferro Caril Avenue.

Lockaton had a felony felony arrest warrant in San Francisco for stealing another vehicle. Atascadero police say they charged him with possession of a stolen vehicle and booked him in San Luis Obispo County Jail.

The county sheriff’s office website states Lockaton is charged with two counts of auto theft and one count of bringing a controlled substance to jail. Lockaton remains in jail with bail set at $45,000.

Atascadero Unified officials issued a press release at 2 p.m. stating the lockouts had been lifted.