Police Dog, Officers Trap, Capture Honor Rancho Escapee in Reseda Garage

A man who escaped Sunday from a maximum-security jail at the Peter J. Pitchess Honor Rancho was captured Friday in Reseda after trying to fight his way through officers and a police dog who cornered him in a residential garage, Los Angeles police reported.

Kirk Anderson, 27, suffered dog bites on his arms and legs in the second, unsuccessful escape attempt Friday, Sgt. Ed Brayton said. He was arrested on suspicion of escape and treated at the Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center jail ward after receiving first aid at the department’s Van Nuys Jail infirmary, Brayton said.

“He was trying to fight,” Brayton said. “This man is a runner and a fighter, and we know that he will do anything to get away.”

Anderson escaped from the East Facility at the Pitchess jail compound in Castaic between 8:30 and 9 p.m. Sunday, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lt. James Valdez said. He broke through wire mesh covering a courtyard recreation area and scaled a 12-foot-high fence topped with razor wire, Valdez said.

Anderson was scheduled to appear Monday in Van Nuys Municipal Court on burglary charges, said Sheriff’s Deputy Roger Hom, a department spokesman. He is suspected of stealing $20,000 in property over a monthlong period, Brayton said. He was also serving a one-year sentence for carrying a concealed weapon and filing a false financial statement.

Brayton said officers had been alerted to Anderson’s whereabouts by informants and had followed him for several days as he moved from one residence to another, apparently to elude authorities. Each time, the officers missed Anderson by several hours, Brayton said.

But on Friday, police staking out a Canoga Park apartment complex, where Anderson had spent the previous night with acquaintances, got a lucky break, Brayton said. After leaving in the morning, Anderson returned in a taxi about 12:40 p.m. to retrieve money to buy drugs, Brayton said.

Fled on Foot

Anderson apparently noticed police waiting for him and ordered the driver to speed away, Brayton said. The driver complied but dropped Anderson off about three miles away, he said. Anderson fled on foot, hiding in a garage near Tunney Avenue and Lanark Street, Brayton said.

It was not clear whether the cab driver knew that Anderson was fleeing police, Brayton said.

A police dog picked up Anderson’s scent and tracked him to the back of the garage, Brayton said.