Photo courtesy: Chino PD

Staff Reports

CHINO – A man who ran from police prompted one Chino Valley Unified School District school to be placed on lockdown Thursday, Jan. 7, Chino police said.
Larry Lopez, 46 of Chino, who was stopped for a minor traffic infraction on Thursday, was able to get away and was believed to have barricaded himself into his home on San Antonio Avenue near Rhodes Elementary school.
Around 10 a.m., Schafer and San Antonio Avenues were closed and Rhodes Elementary was put on lock-down while police tried to get Lopez to surrender, officials said.
At 11:37 a.m., the school district posted on their Facebook page that the school was placed on locked due to police activity in the area. Afternoon Kindergarten classes were cancelled.
Officers deployed a flash bang at the house at 1:45 p.m. in attempt to make contact with the suspect. Police broke into the house at 3 p.m. and found that Lopez had evaded them.
The school district posted regular updates on their social media pages to keep public informed. Parents were also notified by a phone blast message by the school’s Principal Dr. Freed. Updates were also posted on Facebook.
The lockdown was lifted at regular dismissal time of 3:20 p.m. Dismissal took place at Cypress Trails Park, next to the school.
Dr. Freed thanked parents for their patience and commended students and teachers for their outstanding cooperation with police.
“We did the best we could while working in partnership with Chino Police,” she said. “Every decision was made with the safety of students as the number one goal.”
Lopez was apprehended the next morning at his home on San Antonio Avenue. He was taken to the West Valley Detention Center and booked for felony evading and an outstanding prior warrant.