Watsonville Interim Police Chief David Rodriguez stepped away from his usual administrative and managerial duties last week to arrest an alleged gang member carrying a backpack with a gun, drugs and ammunition inside, according to a police statement on social media.
Last Tuesday around 5 p.m., a Watsonville police officer attempted to contact a group of suspected gang members, including 18-year-old Issac Sigala.
Sigala climbed onto a rooftop, jumped several fences and ran from the officer, according to a social media post from the Watsonville Police Department.
Chief David Rodriguez was nearby between Waters Alley and Madison Street, and had been listening to the police radio traffic. He spotted Sigala, ran after him and arrested him behind the car wash on 400 E. Lakewood Ave.
Inside Sigala’s backpack, officers found a short-barreled pistol with a high-capacity magazine, 38 rounds of ammunition and 54 grams of marijuana.
Police said Sigala faces several felonies, including illegally possessing a firearm, participation in a criminal street gang and probation violation.
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