Around 4:30 PM, on February 1 2020, Petaluma Police Department officers investigated the grand theft of a racing bicycle in the area of East Washington and Lakeville Streets. An hour later, officers responded to an interrupted residential burglary, in which the suspect was reported to have swung a bicycle at the homeowner when confronted. The homeowner’s description of the bicycle was similar to that of the stolen one. Officers began checking the area with the assistance of the Sonoma County Sheriff Department’s helicopter, Henry-1.
Around 6:00 PM, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department received a report of an in-progress residential burglary approximately one mile south of the Petaluma burglary. The suspect reportedly rode a bicycle into that area. When he entered the residence, the homeowners fled after seeing him armed with a knife. Believing the same suspect was responsible for both burglaries, both agencies combined their resources toward the second burglary and a perimeter was set around the residence. After a few minutes, the suspect, later identified as Mark Garcia, quickly exited and attempted to flee.
Officers and Deputies gave Garcia multiple commands to stop, but he refused. Officers attempted to take him into custody, at which point, he actively fought them. Due to the nature of his suspected crimes, the report of him being armed with a knife, and his active resistance, Petaluma Police Department K-9 “Jax” was deployed. Garcia defeated K-9 Jax’s hold by grabbing and pulling his collar and attempted to flee again. After a second canine contact, officers and deputies attempted again to take Garcia into custody, but he continued to kick and bite them. He was eventually placed into a maximum restraint device and transported to a local hospital for treatment of injuries he sustained. One officer also required medical evaluation for a minor injury.
Garcia was eventually booked into the Sonoma County Jail for multiple counts of residential burglary, assault with a deadly weapon, resisting officers by violence, interfering with a police canine, and violation of probation.
Source: Petaluma Police Department
Gracia is in custody with bail set at $50,000, which several other open cases.
Gracia is a Petaluma Native and has a 2019 felony conviction for vandalism, and three open cases for vandalism, Exhibit Deadly Weapon Other Than Firearm, and Battery On Spouse / Cohabitant / Former Spouse.
Source: Sonoma County District Attorney's Office