By Khalida Sarwari
An alleged attempt to burglarize a house on Chalet Clothilde Drive went awry for a San Francisco man who, in an effort to get away from deputies on his motorcycle, was catapulted nearly 25 feet into the air, according to the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office.
James Chase, 55, survived the fall, but was subsequently arrested on suspicion of burglary, possession of burglary tools and evading peace officers, according to sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Jose Cardoza.
The alleged burglary took place on Feb. 28 at a residence in the 13000 block of Chalet Clothilde Drive, said Cardoza. The homeowner was at work when he received a call from his home security company alerting him about a stranger in his house. He called 911, which alerted the sheriff’s office and deputies responded to the home shortly after 2 p.m.
When they arrived, deputies noticed a man leaving the area on a motorcycle and attempted to wave him down to determine where he was coming from, said Cardoza. The man initially slowed down, but then quickly accelerated and led the deputies on a high-speed chase east on Pierce Road, eventually losing control on a dirt shoulder and being ejected from his seat.
“A deputy observed him fly approximately 25 feet in the air and then land on the eastbound lane of Pierce Road,” Cardoza said.
Deputies placed handcuffs on Chase and called for medical assistance.
“He was conscious and breathing when EMS arrived,” said Cardoza.
Emergency personnel transported Chase to a hospital, where he received treatment for non-life threatening injuries and was booked into Santa Clara County Main Jail afterward.
The items he had allegedly taken from the home, which included a computer, a notebook and an iPad along with various credit cards, were eventually recovered and returned to the homeowner, Cardoza said.
An investigation later revealed that the burglar apparently entered the home through a rear window, which was found damaged, according to Cardoza.
Santa Clara County prosecutors are charging Chase with felony first-degree burglary, possession of burglary tools and fleeing police. He was not allowed bail and remains in custody. A plea hearing is set for Chase on April 23 at Santa Clara County Superior Court in San Jose.
Deputies arrest San Francisco man in connection with a home burglary
