Homeowner finds homeless man inside Castaic home

When a Castaic resident returned home and allegedly found a strange man in his home, a foot chase ensued through the backyards of adjacent homes, a police containment was set up and a manhunt launched until the suspect surrendered.

In the end, a 23-year-old man, described by deputies as a transient, was arrested on suspicion of resisting arrest and trespassing.

The incident began Friday at about 9:30 p.m., when deputies with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station responded to the 31800 block of Sapphire Lane in Castaic regarding a “burglary now” call for service.

A Castaic homeowner, a man in his 50s, had just arrived home and stumbled on an unknown man inside his home, said Shirley Miller, spokeswoman for the SCV Sheriff’s Station.

“The suspect exited the house after call-outs with Aero’s assistance and began running into a neighbor’s yard,” she said, referring to Aero unit deputies in a county Sheriff’s Department helicopter telling the suspect to come out.

Once out of the house, the suspect then entered the garage of a neighboring house through the garage door, Miller said.

The home, however, was occupied. Deputies responding to the initial call took immediate action to protect the safety of the occupants.

“The residents of that home were evacuated by deputies for their safety,” Miller said, noting deputies set up a containment of the area.

Eventually, the suspect gave up and came out of the house where deputies were waiting and was taken into custody, officials said.