Fleeing Suspects Forces Lockdown At Elementary School

Tuolumne, CA – Summerville Elementary School in the 18,400 block of Carter Street in Tuolumne, was forced to lock down the campus on Wednesday afternoon due to a wanted man in the area that was able to elude arrest.

Tuolumne County Probation’s High-Risk Supervision Team just after 1 p.m. on Wednesday attempted to arrest 49-year-old Steven Berrigan for several felony warrants at a residence on North Tuolumne Road.

Sheriff’s spokesperson Nicco Sandelin tells Clarke Broadcasting that Berrigan fled the scene in a vehicle. He detailed, “Deputies later located the vehicle, unoccupied, near Summerville Elementary School. A perimeter was established around the vehicle and Summerville Elementary was instructed to conduct a brief lockdown while the area was searched.” The closure only lasted about five minutes.

Berrigan’s outstanding warrants include possession of a controlled substance for sales, felony evading, and failure to appear on felony charges. They stem from an arrest in July in the Columbia area, as detailed here.

Berrigan was able to escape arrest. Anyone with any information regarding his whereabouts is asked to contact the sheriff’s department at (209) 533-5855. Tips can be anonymous.