Man who prompted Escondido SWAT stand-off pleads not guilty

VISTA (CNS) – A San Jose man accused of holding up an Escondido convenience store at gunpoint, leading to a police chase and brief SWAT standoff, pleaded not guilty Friday to felony robbery and evading charges and a misdemeanor count of resisting arrest.

Domi Gustavo Jimenez, 26, was ordered held on $250,000 bail.

The defendant allegedly confronted a clerk at the 7-Eleven in the 600 block of North Ash Street shortly before 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, displayed a pistol tucked in his waistband and stole an undisclosed amount of cash.

Jimenez drove off in a late-model white sedan, which officers caught up with a short time later, Escondido police Lt. Eric Skaja said. During an ensuing pursuit, the suspect managed to elude the patrol personnel, then ditched the vehicle and escaped on foot.

Later in the morning, police tracked down Jimenez at a motel in the 900 block of North Quince Street, near North Centre City Parkway. When he refused repeated orders to surrender, a SWAT team was summoned, Skaja said. The special weapons and tactics personnel forced entry to the room and took the suspect into custody without further incident.

Jimenez — who has a 2009 conviction for robbery — faces 11 years in prison if convicted, said Deputy District Attorney Elisabeth Silva. He will be back in court Oct. 22 for a readiness conference and Oct. 27 for a preliminary hearing.