UPDATE: Police apprehend burglary suspect who jumped from two-story home
Published at | Updated at
UPDATE
Timothy Brian Wardas was taken into custody by Idaho Falls Police on Tuesday. No other details were released.
ORIGINAL STORY
IDAHO FALLS — Police are searching for a 44-year-old burglary suspect that jumped out of a second-story window of a home and then left a local hospital against medical advice.
The suspect has been identified by Idaho Falls Police as Timothy Brian Wardas. Police provided two different booking photos of Wardas from the past.
The burglary happened on Sunday around 1:30 p.m. at a home in the 2000 block of Rendezvous Drive. The homeowner reported to police seeing someone come into their home on their video surveillance system.
The homeowner was not home at the time and did not recognize the person, according to a news release from the Idaho Falls Police Department.
Officers arrived at the scene and surrounded the home. They used a PA system to give Wardas commands to come out of the residence as police prepared to enter the home.
Before police could enter the home, a window on the second floor shattered. Wardas then broke a second window on the second story of the home and jumped from that window, the release said. He had a knife in his hand and began running from officers, jumping fences into other yards.
Officers caught Wardas in a backyard about four yards away, where he was attempting to kick in the back door of another residence.
Wardas was given several opportunities to surrender, the release said but ultimately had to be tased. He was then taken into custody.
“From the time the suspect jumped from the window to the time he was taken into custody was less than three minutes,” the release said.
Wardas had cash, gift cards and financial transaction cards belonging to the owner of the home he had broken into. The knife he had, matched a knife set in the residence.
Wardas was then taken to a local hospital for a medical evaluation prior to being taken to jail. Medical professionals determined he needed medical treatment and he was then admitted to the hospital, which required that he be released from police custody, according to the release.
In the early morning hours, Wardas left the hospital against medical advice.
The Idaho Falls Police Department is now searching for Wardas. He is expected to face multiple charges related to the burglary incident.
Anyone with information as to where Wardas might be is asked to call Idaho Falls Police dispatch at (208) 529-1200.
Information can additionally be reported anonymously to East Idaho Crime Stoppers at ifcrime.org.
People who report information through Crime Stoppers that leads to a successful arrest may be eligible for a cash reward.