Ceres Police officer Christian Izquierdo is recovering at home from a stab wounds inflicted by a robbery suspect on Saturday evening.

“He is expected to make a full recovery with no long lasting effects from the injury,” reported Ceres Police Department spokesman Sgt. Keith Griebel.

The stabbing occurred as Officer Izquierdo was attempting to stop Joseph John, 33, of Turlock, as the suspect of a robbery at the nearby Quik Stop at Service and Morgan roads.

At 6:12 p.m. the robbery was reported to 911 dispatchers, giving a description of the suspect who had produced no weapon. Officers were told the suspect was last seen walking north on Morgan Road from the store. 

The officer stopped John at Hackett Road because he matched the description of the suspect. John would not comply with orders to stop and walked away from the officer as other officers arrived. He was ordered to comply at Taser-point however fled on foot. John took off running and was chased by the officer. As Izquierdo grappled with John, he was stabbed in the neck and back of the head with a knife produced by the suspect. 

The wounded officer was rushed to a local area hospital for treatment where he was later released.

John, who was found to have outstanding warrants for his arrest, was booked into the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center on charges of robbery and assault with a deadly weapon.

Anyone with information on the robbery is asked to contact Detective Amador at 538-5729.

Izquierdo joined Ceres Police in February 2017.