MANTECA, Calif. — A SWAT team was called in to help arrest a Manteca man who managed to evade police officers in two separate police chases on Wednesday, May 26.
Robert Shermantine, 37, is facing a number of charges, including assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer, stemming from incidences that started on Wednesday and culminated in his arrest on Thursday.
The first incident started around 9 p.m. Wednesday when detectives went to arrest Shermantine for alleged drug sales and a warrant for violating his post-release supervision. Officers said they found Shermantine at an AM/PM gas station on Crestwood Avenue and tried to block him in by positioning their squad car behind his vehicle. However, the officers said when Shermantine spotted them, he quickly got in his car and slammed it into reverse, ramming the police cruiser and creating enough space to take off. Two detectives narrowly avoided being hit by Shermantine as he made his escape, according to police.
The officers attempted to chase after him, but said the damage sustained to their vehicle kept them from being able to pursue.
When officers spotted Shermantine driving another car, they attempted to pull him over again, this time on southbound Highway 99, near Austin Road. Officers said Shermantine again took off and a short chase ensued. The chase was called off for safety reasons due to heavy traffic in the area.
Finally, on Thursday officers received a tip that Shermantne was at a home in Lodi. Taking no chances, police called in the Manteca-Ripon SWAT team to respond to the home along the 500 block of Pioneer Avenue. Shermantine was found to be at the home and investigators say he surrendered without incident to the SWAT officers.
After his arrest, officers obtained a new search warrant to check out another home in Manteca that was associated with Shermantine. There, officers said they found methamphetamine, cocaine, and evidence of drug sales. Officers said they also found ammunition at the home.
Shermantine was booked into the San Joaquin County Jail on complaints of assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer, felony evading, two counts of possessing a controlled substance for sales, and one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition.
