(Police haul evidence bags out of a home on Honeysuckle Drive in Watsonville Wednesday after taking a man into custody on suspicion of attempted homicide April 18 on nearby Lawrence Drive. Photo by Tarmo Hannula/Pajaronian)
WATSONVILLE — An attempted murder suspect was arrested early Wednesday morning after a two-week investigation, Watsonville Police Sgt. Mish Radich said.
Juan Hernandez, 39, was on his way to work at about 6:30 a.m. when he was arrested during a traffic stop in the area of Green Valley Road and Freedom Boulevard, Radich said.
Hernandez is suspected of shooting once into an occupied vehicle on Lawrence Avenue on April 18. Nobody was hit, and the bullet went through the vehicle and hit a parked car.
Hernandez
Witness accounts and video surveillance helped lead the WPD Special Investigations Unit to identify Hernandez as the shooter, Radich said.
“That’s how we were able to put together this case, and secure the search warrant,” he said.
The Santa Cruz Police Emergency Services Unit helped during the arrest. That agency also brought its Bearcat vehicle.
After the arrest, police searched Hernandez’s residence on Honeysuckle Drive. They took away several pieces of evidence.
Nearby Freedom Elementary School was briefly placed on lockdown.
Hernandez is an active gang member. The shooting is believed to be gang-related.
