Man Hiding From Calif. Cops Arrested After Falling Through Ceiling

Dec. 20--San Bernardino police have arrested the man who barricaded himself inside a stranger's apartment for nearly five hours on Monday night.

Tommy Nelson, 22, of San Bernardino was taken into custody about 10 p.m., San Bernardino police Lt. David Harp said. He is accused of burglary, violating parole and being a felon with a handgun.

Nelson ran from police about 4:15 p.m. into the Dorjils apartment complex near the 1800 block of Ladds Court. He allegedly dropped a gun during the chase.

At some point Nelson locked himself inside a random apartment unit, Harp said.

SWAT officers were brought to the scene and police officers spent hours trying to contact him. Officials eventually threw gas into the apartment's attic, where they believed Nelson was hiding, and sent a police dog up to find him.

"That made him move around a little bit," Harp said. "He fell through the ceiling and that's how we captured him."

Copyright 2011 - Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Calif.