Missing Bodega Bay boater turns up near Mexico, skips court date

A missing-person search morphed into a hunt for a wanted man Tuesday after authorities discovered that a Windsor man reported missing Monday after his boat was found adrift in Bodega Bay had later turned up on the Mexican border.

Justin Greer, 35, had been due in Sonoma County Superior Court at 9 a.m. Tuesday for felony weapons, domestic violence and sexual assault charges, said Deputy District Attorney Laura Passaglia. The missed court date trigged the three warrants, ?Passaglia said.

Greer’s whereabouts were unknown to authorities Tuesday evening. He was last seen Monday night when he was turned away from the Mexican border near San Diego by Border Patrol agents and released, said Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Misti Harris.

The search for Greer began Monday when his empty 18-foot boat was found off Doran Beach Regional Park, where his truck and trailer were in a parking lot.

Local officials, concerned he might have fallen overboard, launched an extensive search including two U.S. Coast Guard vessels and a state helicopter, plus personnel from California State Parks, Bodega Bay fire and the Sheriff’s Office.

The operation was to resume Tuesday, until authorities learned late Monday of Greer’s appearance at the border, 520 miles to the south.

“According to a teletype we got, he is alive and well,” said Tim Murphy, supervising state parks lifeguard on the Sonoma Coast.

Greer was arrested for domestic violence in June and was put on probation, Passaglia said. He was arrested again in July for domestic violence and sexual assault, she said, but was able to post $600,000 bail and was released from Sonoma County Jail.

As wildfires raged in Sonoma County, Greer was again arrested on Oct. 13 on a felony weapons charge, Passaglia said. With courts closed, the District Attorney’s Office didn’t initially press charges and Greer was released from jail ?Oct. 17.

Two days later the District Attorney’s Office picked up the felony weapons charges, Passaglia said, and she planned to ask the judge to increase Greer’s bail Tuesday in light of his recent crime, she said.

“Now if he has any contact with law enforcement he will be arrested and extradited to Sonoma County,” she said.

You can reach Staff Writer Nick Rahaim at 707-521-5203 or nick.rahaim@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @nrahaim. You can reach Staff Writer Randi Rossmann at 707-521-5412 or randi.rossmann@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter@rossmannreport.