Handcuffed fugitive nabbed after escape

A handcuffed fugitive eluding local sheriff’s deputies since his arrest Sunday night was tracked down and arrested Monday morning following a foot pursuit through the dusty back lots of businesses in the Centre Pointe area and across the Santa Clara River wash.

The suspect, who was arrested by deputies of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station Sunday night about 9 p.m. near Golden Valley Road and McKeon Way, escaped custody and eluded capture until about 10:15 a.m. Monday.

Monday’s arrest of John Jacob Kealey, 23, of Canyon Country, on a misdemeanor drug offense and for escaping custody, also a misdemeanor, marks the 5th time in a year he’s been arrested.

Arrest documents maintained by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Station show Kealey was arrested in the SCV five times since October 2016. His most recent prior arrest happened less than a month ago, when he was arrested on suspicion of possessing a controlled substance on Sept. 23.

On Monday morning, deputies arrested him in an industrial area near the intersection of Oak Avenue and Soledad Canyon Road, and near the Santa Clara River wash.

The suspect, found by deputies wearing a plastic bag as a shirt, was arrested shortly after he wiggled under a fence to elude capture.

He was nabbed about 1,000 feet from the place of his earlier arrest.

The manhunt for the fugitive began shortly after deputies were called to the Rattler’s Restaurant on Carl Boyer Drive Sunday.

“They were called for a man passed out in the bathroom of Rattlers,” Lt. Doug Mohroff told The Signal Monday.

Deputies and paramedics with the Los Angeles County Fire Department responded to the medical call and assisted in the man’s “rescue,” he said.

“As he was being treated deputies became aware that he might be in possession of narcotics,” Mohroff said. “He was going to be taken to the hospital.

“As he was leaving the restaurant, he (suspect) decides he doesn’t want any part of this and bolts.”

Deputies searched for the escaped suspect throughout the night without luck,

Then, shortly before 10 a.m. Monday, a citizen spotted a man in handcuffs wearing a plastic bag near the Walmart on Carl Boyer Drive.

“Deputies responded to Carl Boyer and that’s when he (suspect) runs again,” Mohroff said.

Deputies ran after the handcuffed suspect, catching up with him at Oak and Soledad.

Kealey has appeared in the Santa Clarita Courthouse on four prior misdemeanor charges, including:

At the time of his arrest Monday, Kealey was scheduled to appear in court Nov. 7 in connection with his arrests a year ago and his arrest in April, arrest papers show.