Tree Fall Leads to Spinal Cord Injuries

A man who escaped custody while handcuffed after being arrested in  an unincorporated pocket of Redwood City suffered spinal injuries when he  fell from a tree he'd managed to climb, sheriff's officials said today.
     
At about 11 p.m. Saturday, sheriff's deputies stopped two people  for jaywalking at Middlefield Road and Charter Street in Redwood City, San  Mateo County sheriff's Lt. Ray Lunny said.
     
One of the alleged jaywalkers, 18-year-old Ivan Garcia, was found  to be on probation and in possession of brass knuckles, which is a felony,  Lunny said.
     
Garcia was placed under arrest and transported to the North Fair  Oaks substation. As deputies were leading him to the substation's door,  Garcia broke free and ran away, still wearing the handcuffs, Lunny said.
     
The deputies chased Garcia to the area of Fourth Avenue and Park  Road, where he climbed onto a carport roof and into a tree in the backyard of  a home, according to Lunny. He had maneuvered his hands to the front of his  body.
     
As the deputies approached him, Garcia fell out of the tree.
     
He fell about 10 feet and was transported to a hospital, where he  remains in intensive care with possible spinal injuries, Lunny said. No other  injuries were reported.