Defendant in San Mateo SWAT Standoff Released Pending Sentencing

A parolee who was arrested in January after fleeing police and getting into a lengthy SWAT standoff in San Mateo was released from jail Wednesday pending a sentencing hearing in December, San Mateo County
prosecutors said.

Walter Mitchell, 27, of Oakland pleaded no contest to commercial burglary and evading police, both felony charges, in exchange for 32 months in prison.

After missing a court appearance in September, Mitchell was held on $250,000 bail. But on Wednesday Judge Leland Davis agreed to release him on his own recognizance until his Dec. 4 sentencing hearing, prosecutors said.

Mitchell was on parole for manslaughter when he and another man, identified as 22-year-old Oakland resident Andre Dupree-Lafleur Jr., were spotted breaking into cars in the Central Parking Garage at East Fourth and Ellsworth avenues in San Mateo at about 7:20 p.m. on Jan. 7.

A witness reported the car break-ins to police and the two men fled in a silver Acura. San Mateo police spotted the Acura nearby on East Fourth Avenue.

When police tried to stop the car, the Acura sped away but the driver lost control, hit another car, a tree and a pole.

Both men ran from the crash scene. Police were right behind them and ordered them to stop, but Mitchell allegedly pointed a gun at one of the officers before continuing to run.

Police found Dupree-Lafleur walking nearby and arrested him. Mitchell ran into a large apartment complex at South Eldorado Street and East Third Avenue and refused to come out. Officers surrounded the building and
called in a SWAT team, shutting down the area until he surrendered at about 12:30 a.m.

Both men pleaded not guilty to the charges earlier this year and were released on $100,000 bail each. They both missed a court appearance on Sept. 4 and a $250,000 warrant was issued for their arrest. Dupree-Lafleur
remains a fugitive, according to prosecutors.

While Mitchell is now free without bail, if he doesn’t return for his sentencing hearing on Dec. 7 he would forfeit his 32-month sentence and could face up to 7 years, 4 months in prison, District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said.

--Bay City News Service, photo via Shutterstock