Father and son chase assault suspect in Idaho Falls neighborhood
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IDAHO FALLS — An Idaho Falls father and son chased a man who allegedly tried to break into their home on Goldie Street.
The Beirma family reached out to EastIdahoNews.com after police arrested 30-year-old Jose R. Rodrigeuz-Sandoval for aggravated assault after a party Saturday night.
Rodriguez-Sandoval ran to Sunnyside Acres after allegedly getting into a fight at the Blue Wave on Rollandet. A man working security tried to stop the fight by using pepper spray. Rodriguez-Sandoval tried to run over him but hit a brick wall instead, police said. The intended victim sprayed him with pepper spray again.
Homeowner Richard Bierma Jr. said he heard someone trying to push his back door open, which caused the shelf that stood in front of it to fall.
“At 11:30 p.m. we heard a big banging on the back door,” Bierma said. “I realized a Hispanic gentleman was coming through my back door and was moving my bookshelf.”
Bierma’s wife and kids — including a baby — were in the home at the time of the break-in.
When Rodriquez-Sandoval got into the home, Bierma asked him to leave, but then Rodriquez-Sandoval became physically aggressive toward him, Bierma said.
“I took both my hands, and I shoved him off backwards off my back porch,” Beirma said.
The suspect took off running to nearby homes, and Bierma and his 12-year-old son, Marcus, ran after him.
“He wouldn’t even stop just to talk, so we had to take further action,” Bierma said.
Beirma said he cornered Rodriguez-Sandoval in a neighbor’s shed moments before police arrived, and he was ready to tackle him.
According to the original Idaho Falls police news release, Rodriguez-Sandoval was arrested for felony aggravated assault. Later, Sgt. Bryan Lovell of the Bonneville County Sheriff’s office told EastIdahoNews.com Rodriguez-Sandoval also was charged with misdemeanor unlawful entry.
Lovell said Rodriguez-Sandoval was intoxicated at the time of the event. He faces additional charges of misdemeanor leaving the scene of an accident, and misdemeanor driving without privileges.
Bierma said the kids are a little shaken from the event, but overall everyone in his family are doing well.
“It’s just sad,” Bierma said. “I mean, hopefully (Rodriguez-Sandoval) gets the help he needs.”