Santa Rosa man jailed on domestic charges, child endangerment

A man suspected of barricading himself inside an apartment with a firearm and two small kids has been jailed on suspicion of more than a dozen felony offenses.|

A 25-year-old Santa Rosa man suspected of assaulting his girlfriend before fleeing police with their two young children throwing the youngsters over a fence at one point - remained jailed Friday, with bail set at $1 million.

Juan Luis Tovar faces more than a dozen suspected felonies, including child endangerment and domestic violence, stemming from the attack that erupted shortly before 1:30 a.m. Thursday at an apartment on Corby Avenue near Hearn Avenue, Santa Rosa police said.

The incident unfolded after the children’s mother called for help, saying Tovar assaulted her repeatedly and had a firearm inside the apartment, police said. She said he punched and struck her with a blunt object, dragged her by her hair and put her in a choke hold before police arrived. He also ripped the phone out of her hand while she reported the incident and once officers arrived ran back inside, barricading himself inside with their two kids, ages 3 and 6, police said.

Tovar made “vague threats” of harming the kids, authorities said.

Police said they repeatedly attempted persuading him to leave the apartment over a period of about ?25 minutes, then saw Tovar escape out a back door with the two kids. He threw them over a back fence before jumping himself and fleeing, ?police said.

Tovar still was holding the younger of the children when officers surrounded him several doors down the road, but he refused to comply with orders, police said. An officer wrestled him to the ground and handcuffed him, police said.

Neither Tovar nor the children were hurt, authorities said.

The girlfriend had minor injuries but did not require hospital treatment, police said.

The firearm later was found inside the apartment, along with ammunition and a high-capacity magazine, police said. Tovar was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, resisting arrest, domestic violence, child endangerment and other charges. He’s scheduled to make his first court appearance Tuesday.

You can reach Staff Writer Mary Callahan at 707-521-5249 or mary.callahan@pressdemocrat.com. ?On Twitter @MaryCallahanB.

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