 "Photo: Erik Aguilar")
A vice president of Chico State was robbed at gunpoint at his home in Canyon Oaks early Monday morning, Chico police announced.
Richard Ellison, the vice president for university advancement, came out of his house to get the newspaper at about 6:40 a.m. and noticed a suspicious man across the street who was dressed in dark clothing.
Since the house across the street was under construction, Ellison didn’t think much of it at the time although he was alone in the house, he said.
About an hour later, Ellison opened his garage door and was getting ready to leave for work when the suspect came around the corner, wearing a black ski mask and waving a handgun and a knife.
Ellison threw a wood board at the man and then retreated into the garage, where the man stopped Ellison on the stairs.
The suspect ordered Ellison to get on the ground, threatening to hurt him and told Ellison to close the garage door.
Ellison did not comply and was able to get out of the garage and run to a neighbor’s house, where the police were called.
“It happened so quick, I just said he’s going to have to shoot me running out my garage,” Ellison said.
Ellison would have acted differently if there had been other people in the house, he said.
Chico Chief of Police Mike Maloney spotted the suspect, later identified by police as David Jacob Jones, near Canyon Oaks Golf Course, which is in the general vicinity of the crime. Jones was reportedly in possession of some stolen items and was detained by police.
Ellison identified the suspect as the one who committed the robbery, according to police. Jones was then taken to Butte County Jail and was booked on a single count of first-degree robbery.
Chico Police Officer Brett Smith and his canine partner “Bak” located the firearm, which was determined to be a very realistic looking replica, said Chico Police Lt. Mike O’Brien. The knife has not been found.
After speaking with Jones, it was determined he was probably staying with a friend somewhere in the area, explaining why there was no report of a vehicle, O’Brien said.
The items stolen included five credit cards, keys and a watch. Some of the credit cards were later found in some bushes. Ellison had been given back all of his stolen possessions by police.
“What is the most frightening is that he sat across from my house for at least an hour and 20 minutes or more, contemplating how he was going to rob me,” Ellison said.
Jones is being held on $50,000 bail.
Nicole Landini can be reached at
nlandini@theorion.com
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