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After desperately battling a 27-year-old transient who wrestled away his gun Friday morning, a bloody and battered San Jose police officer, William McMullen, got in his patrol car, drove after the suspect fleeing down the busy street -- and ran into him, knocking the gun out of his hand.
Hours after the dramatic arrest, the suspect -- identified as Jason Eric Evans -- was in a hospital recovering from numerous broken bones. He has been booked on charges of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon, police said.
McMullen was treated at the hospital and released.
"This could have been an absolute tragedy," said police Chief Chris Moore. "He was in a fight for his life. We are very fortunate we
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didn't lose a police officer today."
Police could not confirm Friday if the suspect, who has a short, but concentrated criminal record of trespassing at San Jose State, was a former SJS football player.
But the suspect's name, description and date of birth matches that of a safety who played for the Spartans from 2004-2006. That Evans was a Southern California native who majored in history.
Consuelo Evans, the former player's sister, said her brother -- a three-sport high school sports star who wanted to be a professional football player -- suffered a serious mental breakdown after he left college, got laid off and broke up with his girlfriend.
"Something went wrong," Consuelo Evans said.
Friday's fracas began
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when McMullen -- a 54-year-old former Marine colonel and helicopter pilot -- responded to a report of suspicious activity by three men in a driveway at the 1100 block of Leigh Avenue near Stokes Street, east of Southwest Expressway in San Jose.
The officer arrived on the scene at 10:54 a.m., according to a police.
When confronted by the officer, Evans threatened him, police said. McMullen pulled out his baton and Evans attacked, punching the officer in the face. The officer radioed for help. McMullen pulled out his gun and Evans tried to grab it, according to police.
During an intense hand-to-hand struggle for the weapon, the officer's handgun went off. No one was hit.
Breaking free, the suspect fled with the officer's gun. Two officers -- identified as Officer Eric Bachmann, 35, and Tim Wilson, 47, arrived about the same time and chased Evans on foot.
The officers fired multiple times at the suspect as he ran down Leigh, apparently pointing the weapon at the officers, police said But none of the shots struck the suspect.
Covered in blood, McMullen got back into his car and drove down Leigh. The patrol car struck Evans, knocking him down and the weapon from his grasp.
The officers are on routine administrative leave, pending the results of an investigation.
The two men with Evans were not involved in the altercation and left the scene. They were located but were not arrested.
Jim Unland, vice president of the San Jose police officer's union, praised the injured officer's actions in continuing to pursue and capture the suspect even though he had lost his gun and was injured.
"The safe thing in this situation is to get the hell out of Dodge," Unland said. "It took a lot of courage to do what he did."
People in the strip mall adjacent to the chase said they heard shots and then saw officers running past them. But most were unsure exactly what had happened on Leigh Avenue.
Serge Purewal, who owns a market there, said he heard shots and saw police scrambling.
"I ran inside and locked the door,'' Purewal said. "No risks for me."
Little was known or reported Friday about why Evans attacked the officer.
He has a short criminal record, mainly consisting of shoplifting, trespassing and similar crimes.
San Jose State police confirmed that they have had "numerous contacts" with a "Jason Evans," who is under a court order to stay away from campus.
