posted April 11, 2010

Attempted murder in Inverness

Before sunrise Wednesday morning a San Pablo man entered an Inverness home and attacked the resident.

The intruder, later arrested, threatened to kill the resident, stabbed him and hit him in the head with a hammer. The intruder then fled in the resident’s 2001 Jeep Cherokee.

Responding to the 911 call for help, law enforcement, and emergency medical personnel rendered aid and flew the victim, a 58-year-old man, to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital for treatment, Marin County sheriff’s Sgt. Debra Barry said.

Responding agencies did not release the victim’s name, citing HIPAA privacy laws.

Marin County Sheriff deputies broadcast a “BOLO”– be on the look out – description of the car and driver. An Inverness Fire Department volunteer driving east on Sir Francis Drake Blvd. through Samuel P. Taylor State Park reported the Jeep was behind him and then sped past him. 

Westbound deputies at White’s Hill saw the Jeep lose control, spin out and head west at high speed on Sir Francis Drake Blvd. After nearly missing a sheriff deputy’s patrol car, the Jeep collided with a telephone pole near the Lagunitas Grocery and Deli where deputies surrounded the car with guns drawn. A nearby resident reported five or six police cars blocked the Jeep’s progress.

Valerius Jerome Walters, 32, of San Pablo was arrested just before 7 a.m. for attempted murder, vehicle theft, evading police officers, possession of drug paraphernalia, use of a deadly weapon and an outstanding warrant for receiving stolen property. He was held on $500,000 bail. Walters was taken to Marin General Hospital for observation of potential injuries. He was booked into Marin County Jail about 5 p.m. A court appearance date has not been set.

– West Marin Citizen