Man who caused lockdown of Glendale elementary school pleads not guilty to assaulting police

A 26-year-old convicted felon who caused a school lockdown and brief police chase after he simulated pointing a weapon in front of Glenoaks Elementary School pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges that he assaulted officers at the scene.

Kyle McCleary was charged with a felony count of battery and injuring a Glendale police sergeant, another felony count of battery with serious bodily injury on the sergeant and one felony count of resisting a second police officer in connection with the Dec. 21 incident outside of the school in the 2000 block of East Glenoaks Boulevard, according to a Los Angeles County Superior Court criminal complaint.

The sergeant underwent surgery to his right wrist and was released days later from a local hospital, Glendale Police Sgt. Tom Lorenz said.

McCleary, who is on parole for a 2009 robbery and was being sought by authorities, allegedly fought with officers who tried to detain after he simulated the weapon and tried unsuccessfully to enter the school, police said.

His child was enrolled at the school, where witnesses saw him outside and pointing a simulated weapon at passing cars, police said.

He then allegedly tried to enter the campus via a secured chain-link fence, but was confronted by the school principal.

The campus had already been secured and was locked down.

As police arrived, McCleary allegedly ran away and began shedding layers of clothing, including a baseball cap, jackets, his shoes and other clothing items.

That prompted a foot chase, which ended at Glenoaks Boulevard and the Glendale (2) Freeway underpass with the alleged altercation between McCleary and the sergeant.

The second officer stepped into the fight and was also injured, police said. The officer suffered minor abrasions to his elbows and knees.

Police detectives are still investigating why McCleary was outside the school.

He is expected to return to court on Jan. 7 to schedule a date for his preliminary hearing.

McCleary is being held without bail, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department records.

-- Veronica Rocha, Times Community News

Follow Veronica Rocha on Google+ and on Twitter: @VeronicaRochaLA.