Finally around 5 a.m. the suspect surrendered to authorities.The identity of the suspect had not been released early Sunday.On Wednesday, a handcuffed suspect being taken to the jail by San Jose police was able to gain access to an officer’s gun, which had been secured in the back of a patrol inside the jail’s garage.Santa Clara County Deputy Michael Low said Joseph Castro, 40, was initially arrested on charges of mail theft and violating his probation.According to Low, a San Jose police officer had driven down the ramp toward the inmate intake area of the jail at 1:39 a.m. when Castro managed to break into the cargo area of the vehicle and access the officer’s gun.Santa Clara County Jail standoff suspect Joseph Castro (Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office)“The officer did attempt to restrain him and stop that suspect when he realized that something was going on,” Low said.A source told KPIX that Castro was kicking the windows as he being taken to jail, and that he was able to get his handcuffed hands to the front of his body.He then kicked the plexiglass between the back seat and the trunk where the gun had been secured by the officer moments before, the source said.According to Low, the officer had placed all his weapons in the rear compartment as they are trained to do before moving suspects out of the car to complete the booking process.“Once the suspect had control of the firearm, the officer ran to a safe location and called for assistance,” Low said.Sources told KPIX that Castro was able to fire at least a half dozen rounds toward the officer before he ran to safety, and that Castro was locked inside the SUV the entire time.Deputies and officers from the sheriff’s office and police department, as well as the Santa Clara Police Department and the California Highway Patrol arrived to help take Castro into custody.The Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team and Crisis Negotiation Team also responded to the jail as Castro continued to shoot, according to a press release from the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office.After a nearly four hour stand-off, Castro surrendered and was taken into custody at 5:48 a.m.Suspect Arrested After Slamming Vehicle Into Santa Clara County JailGet all latest content delivered straight to your inbox. In a press release, Todd Kendrick, the President of the Santa Clara County Peace Officers Association wrote that the union "has been and will continue to support the reforms and changes necessary for the Sheriff's Office, while ensuring our members …
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Booking photos of people arrested by other law enforcement agencies will not be released. On Tuesday, the Santa Clara County Sheriff revealed six inmates have been released early from jail custody to slow the spread of coronavirus in county jails. The Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team and Crisis Negotiation Team also responded, as Castro continued firing rounds from the inside of the patrol vehicle. This all took place in 2018, while Sheriff Laurie Smith — who had the authority to grant the CCW licenses — was in a hard-fought race for reelection, both in the primary and general elections.The defendants are expected to be arraigned on the charges August 31, 2020 at the Hall of Justice in San Jose.
The Sheriff's Office Media Relations Unit serves as a central source of information for release by the Sheriff's Office and responds to requests for information from the news media and the community.The Media Relations Unit is responsible for maintaining an open flow of communication with local, national, and international media entities to provide accurate information to the public concerning Sheriff operations.The Sheriff's Office will release booking photos of arrests made by the Sheriff's Office that do not jeopardize the successful investigation and prosecution of the individual.