Palo Alto Courthouse Escapee Captured

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA — Authorities closed in Tuesday on two Santa Clara County jail inmates who have been on the lam since their Nov. 6 escape from the Palo Alto courthouse. One of the escapees, 46-year-old Tramel McClough, was captured Tuesday in a Stockton Walmart store, the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office confirmed. Still on the loose Wednesday, however, was John Bivins, 47.

Tuesday afternoon in the Stockton area — about 80 miles from Palo Alto — the pair were reportedly in a vehicle pursuit and later, an officer-involved shooting, CHP and sheriff's officials said.

Bivins was last seen fleeing the scene of the shooting in a green 1999 Ford Explorer with the California license plate number 7TTY505, CHP Stockton officials said. He is a 5-foot-9-inch black man who weighs about 180 pounds and has a distinctive "EPA" tattoo on his stomach. Authorities say he is considered "dangerous" and that anyone who sees him should not try to apprehend him. Instead, they should immediately call 911.

According to the CHP, the officer-involved shooting Tuesday in Stockton happened after an initial vehicle pursuit of the duo. At 5:16 p.m., officers attempted a traffic stop on Interstate 5 at Eight Mile Road but the driver of the vehicle failed to yield, CHP officials said. A brief pursuit ensued onto southbound Trinity Parkway, where the driver — McClough — got out of the car and ran into Walmart.

Officers apprehended the McClough inside the store, CHP officials said.

Meanwhile, Bivins, who had been riding in the passenger seat of the SUV, got into the driver's seat and led officers on a pursuit southbound on Trinity Parkway, authorities said. A CHP officer discharged his weapon at some point during the pursuit along Trinity Parkway.

The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday it has been "working with numerous partner agencies in the Stockton area in an active search for the escapees."

"Currently, we are working closely with our law enforcement partners in this active search for Bivins," Santa Clara County sheriff's Sgt. Richard Glennon said. "We cannot overstate how thankful we are to the Stockton California Highway Patrol, Stockton Police Department, and all the other allied agencies in this collective effort to bring both these individuals back into custody."

An extensive search for Bivins and McClough began immediately after their brazen escape, with a $25,000 offered by Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith for information leading to their capture.

The morning of Nov. 6, both men had court appearances scheduled at the Palo Alto courthouse. As deputies escorted them inside, they somehow caused a distraction — then bolted for the exit and escaped into an awaiting vehicle outside the courthouse.

Bivins and McClough had been jailed since February when they were arrested on suspicion of stealing $64,400 worth of cellphones and other merchandise from a Verizon store in Sunnyvale.

Within days of their escape, Santa Clara County sheriff's officials announced the arrests of two people for their alleged involvement.

Anyone with information pertinent to Bivins' whereabouts or the escape investigation is urged to call the sheriff's Investigations Unit at 408-808-4500 or the anonymous tip line at 408-808-4431.

RELATED COVERAGE:

• 2 Inmates Escape Palo Alto Courthouse: Sheriff
• Arrest Made In Palo Alto Courthouse Escape: Sheriff
• Palo Alto Courthouse Escape: $25K Reward Now Offered

Bay City News Service contributed to this report.

Photos via Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office and California Highway Patrol-Stockton