Underwear clad lawyer body-slams thief in SLO

May 13, 2016

Jonas Bailey (left) and Christian Ellman (right)

Clad only in a pair of boxer briefs and slippers, a San Luis Obispo attorney chased a thief up a hill early Tuesday morning, caught up with the suspect and body-slammed him onto the ground. When police officers arrived, they found the thief had a backpack full of wallets, jewelry and money. [KSBY]

Jonas Bailey, a trained fighter and the founder of the Bailey Law Firm in San Luis Obispo, heard a noise in the parking lot outside his apartment at around 4 a.m. He looked out his window and saw a man going through his car with a flashlight. Bailey’s wife then told him to go get the man, Bailey said.

Bailey put on a pair of slippers, and ran outside and confronted the man going through his car, whom police identified as Christian Ellman, 18.

Ellman told Bailey that he was a drunk Cal Poly student who thought the vehicle was his car. Bailey responded “no way,” he said.

The thief then took off running with Bailey behind him. After several blocks, Bailey caught up with Ellman. The attorney then picked up the thief, felt him go weightless, and slammed Ellman into the ground.

Bailey called the police and held Ellman down on the ground until officers arrived. In addition to finding wallets, jewelry and money, officers also found a six-inch Rambo knife in the suspect’s bag, Bailey said.

Officers booked in to the San Luis Obispo County Jail on charges of theft and misdemeanor vandalism. Ellman is listed on the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office website as being 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing 168 pounds. His bail is set at $2,000.

The San Luis Obispo Police Department recently announced that thefts from unlocked vehicles and open truck beds had increased by 70 percent from March 2015 to March 2016. At least 11 thefts from unlocked vehicles then occurred in the early hours of April 6 in an area spanning Fixlini Street, Corralitos Avenue, Wilding Lane, Alta Street, San Luis Drive and Alisal Avuene, according to SLOPD.

Bailey said hopefully there is now one more person San Luis Obispo residents will not see stealing from other people’s cars at 3 a.m.

Police officials are recommending that members of the public do not chase after suspects.

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Think of what a great underwear commercial that would make!


Whaaat?! Jonas is a LAWYER?! Crazy! I knew him a little bit in my 20’s and I’d never have foreseen him becoming a lawyer! He was a like a surfer-bro-dude type. What a trip. Well that’s cool , glad this car hopper kid didn’t do anything crazy though.


It’s amazing what you commenters argue about.


Funny how he cops have to say, don’t pursue a suspect, but when I did the same thing 15 years ago (a guy slashing tires in my neighborhood), I got a commendation and letter of thank you from then police chief Gardner,


The only way to stop a crime is be on the scene and act.


They say it for liability purposes only.


I guess we know who won’t be representing this asshat


I wouldn’t take matters into my own hands; nevertheless, good for him. Too much of this crap going on around here.