Agitated passenger captured after fleeing bus in Santa Rosa

<p>A passenger aboard a Greyhound bus who yelled out that he needed to get off because men with guns were chasing him caused a commute-hour panic Friday on Highway 101 near the Santa Rosa city limits.</p><p>The driver of the bus, which had been heading north out of town, pulled over about 5:30 p.m. near the Old Redwood Highway off-ramp to let out the man, who then fled.</p><p>Nearly two dozen law enforcement officers rushed to the scene and eventually captured the suspect, a 32-year-old New York man who was believed to be under the influence of drugs.</p><p>Given initial reports of gunfire, officers proceeded carefully, bringing every passenger off the bus one at a time before going aboard with rifles in hand to search. Other officers with dogs scoured a nearby ravine for a weapon.</p><p>Traffic on the highway and nearby streets slowed to a near standstill as motorists angled for a look at the unfolding drama. But what was feared the worst turned out to be less serious.</p><p>Daniel Cornutt had perhaps the best view of things, as he was seated next to the man who caused the commotion. Cornutt said the man had a guitar case and a cane, and noticed he was shaking prior to his sudden outburst.</p><p>Rather than panicking, passengers tried to calm the man, according to Cornutt.</p><p>“He seemed to be tweaking,” Cornutt said.</p><p>After the bus pulled over and the door opened, the man took off running. Sonoma County sheriff's deputies apprehended him shortly afterward on Old Redwood Highway with help from the CHP.</p><p>David Conklin Jr., who officers said was from New York and was going to Eureka, was arrested on suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance and taken to the Sonoma County Jail.</p><p>Cornutt reserved his highest praise for bus driver Chris Marshall, saying he stayed calm throughout the ordeal and tried talking to the man.</p><p>After passengers were interviewed by law enforcement officers, they boarded the bus again and Marshall got behind the wheel. He shrugged off the incident, saying, “it's not the first time it's happened, and it won't be the last.”</p><p>With that, he closed the doors and the bus rumbled off, 45 minutes after the drama began.</p>