Sex Offender Broke Into Santa Rosa Home, Trapped Residents: Police

SANTA ROSA, CA — A parolee was arrested Friday night after police said he forced his way into an occupied Santa Rosa home, prevented residents from leaving and later hid in nearby landscaping.

Santa Rosa police officers were called at about 10:52 p.m. Friday to a home in the 2700 block of Mohawk Street after an unknown man reportedly forced his way inside.

A 66-year-old resident tried to restrain the man against an interior wall, police said. During the struggle, the man repeatedly closed the front door, preventing the occupants from leaving the home, according to police.

The man fled on foot before officers arrived.

Earlier that night, officers had responded to another home nearby after a man matching the same description was reported looking through a window, police said. Investigators later learned the man had also allegedly made sexual remarks toward someone inside that home.

Officers did not find the man after the first call.

After the Mohawk Street incident, police searched the neighborhood and found a suspect hiding in landscaping near Yuma Street. Police said he resisted officers before being taken into custody.

Police identified the suspect as Edward Carver, 36.

Carver was booked into the Sonoma County Jail on suspicion of burglary, false imprisonment, elder abuse, peeking while loitering, loitering or prowling on private property, resisting or obstructing a peace officer and violating parole.

His bail was set at $250,000, and he was also being held on a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation parole hold.

Police said Carver is a registered sex offender. The department said it disclosed his registration status under California law after determining that releasing the information was necessary for public safety based on the allegations involving the two occupied homes.

Police cautioned that the disclosure is intended to help residents protect themselves and their children and is not permission to harass, threaten or otherwise target anyone.

Detectives are continuing to investigate whether there were additional encounters involving Carver that night.

Anyone who saw or was contacted by a man matching the description in the area Aug. 14, or who believes they had a similar encounter, was asked to call the Santa Rosa Police Department at 707-528-5222 and reference case No. 26-8800.