Crime spree ends with robbery, assault charges
PALO ALTO » A 41-year-old Redwood Cityman has been arrested in connection with a violent crime spree that began with him groping an employee at a Stanford Shopping Center department store and ended with him head-butting a nurse at a hospital, police said.
The chain of events started around 7:10 p.m. Monday when a man later identified as Javas Debois Minor groped a female employee inside the Macy’s at themall and punched a loss prevention officer who asked him to leave in the jaw, according to police.
Minor also held his fist up to the face of a female employee and threatened her, according to police.
Police said Minor left the restaurant before officers arrived, but he wa s found minutes later with the stolen food at the Palo Alto Transit Center at 95 University Ave. He allegedly tried to kick an officer but missed as he was being moved to a patrol car.
As he was being processed at the police station, he complained that he could no longer feel his feet due to a medical condition, according to police. Paramedics were summoned and he allegedly spat directly in the face of one who was trying to evaluate him.
Officers and paramedics took Minor to a hospital to be medically cleared. At the hospital he tried to bite a nurse and then head-butted him, police said. The nurse suffered minor injuries to his nose and forehead, and was treated at the same hospital. Minor was ultimately booked into the Santa Clara CountyMainJail inSanJose on felony charges of robbery and criminal threats and misdemeanor charges of resisting arrest and assault and battery. The groping victim declined to press charges against him.
No gunwas found onMinor, and police said they believe he lied about having one at P.F. Chang’s.
Anyone with information about the case can call the Palo Alto Police Department’s 24-hour dispatch center at 650-329-2413. Those wishing to remain anonymous can text or call 650383-8984 or e-mail paloalto@tipnow.org.