SLO County elementary school locked down after police chase ends in parking lot

John Lynch
·1 min read
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A Paso Robles elementary school was placed on lockdown Monday when a police chase ended with the arrest of two people in the campus’ parking lot.

Officers attempted to stop a vehicle near Niblick Road and Nicklaus Street at around 9:40 a.m., but the driver did not immediately yield and attempted to flee by pulling into the parking lot of Pat Butler Elementary School, according to a news release from the Paso Robles Police Department.

Staff at the school initiated the lockdown as a precaution, escorting students to classrooms while officers broke one of the car’s windows to reach the driver, according to the release.

The driver was arrested for an outstanding warrant, while the passenger was arrested on suspicion of possession of drug paraphernalia, according to the release. A search of the vehicle also revealed potential evidence of property crimes and identity theft.

In the release, the department said that the incident was not related to the school or its students, and the lockdown was a precautionary measure to ensure safety during the traffic stop.

Once the situation was resolved, the lockdown was lifted, the release said.

The Paso Robles Police Department is requesting anyone with any information to call the department at 805-237-6464, while persons wishing to remain anonymous are encouraged to call Crime Stoppers’ 24-hour hotline at 805-549-STOP or by texting “SLOTIPS” plus your message to CRIMES (274637).