A man who allegedly stole power tools from the Home Depot store on Tuesday morning, April 21 fought with officers who were arresting him and sustained facial injuries before he was handcuffed.

A loss prevention officer at Home Depot called police at 10:31 a.m. after seeing Aries Estrada, 30, of Ceres, shoplifting power tools. When the employee intervened in the thefts, Estrada allegedly pulled a knife and made threats before fleeing on foot. The employee gave chase while giving updates to dispatchers about Estrada’s whereabouts. 

By the time officers arrived Estrada was seen running westbound on Hatch Road over Highway 99. He was spotted running off the freeway and onto the Highway 99 on-ramp from South Ninth Street. Officer Nicolas Welsh pulled up the on ramp and ordered Estrada on the ground at gunpoint. Estrada ran toward the officer and tried to slide around him all while holding the knife and stolen goods. He then dropped the knife and merchandise. Officer Welsh chased and tackled Estrada who began fighting. Officer Jon Blount arrived and assisted as Estrada curled up in a ball and wouldn’t show his hands. At one point Estrada grabbed Blount’s duty belt before he was subdues. Estrada sustained some facial injuries in the scuffle and was checked out at Doctors Medical Center by paramedics with Officer Steve Carvalho following. 

About an hour later Officer Carvalho called out over the radio that Estrada had fled from him and security personnel in the hospital and was last seen running in the area of Orangeburg and McHenry avenues. Modesto Police Department converged in the area, located Estrada and took him back into custody. 

He faces charges of robbery, brandishing a deadly weapon, resisting arrest, escape from custody and probation violations.