After more than a week of eluding authorities, an Azusa man suspected of leading police on two wild pursuits late last month and assaulting an officer was in custody Sunday.
But not before he kicked a hole in the roof of his home and climbed through it in a final attempt to escape, police said.
Gerardo Herrejon, 43, was arrested after a two-hour standoff late Saturday at his condo in the 600 block of East Lee Place in Azusa, Covina police Lt. Ric Walczak said.
Herrejon was booked on suspicion of felony evading, assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer and forgery after being taken into custody about 11:50 p.m., Walczak said.
He had been sought since Nov. 29 when he allegedly passed counterfeit money along with 23-year-old Chandra Olazaba of Azusa at the Covina Walmart and then led Covina police on a pursuit that ended when the pursing police car crashed, officials said.
Police identified Olazaba as a suspect in the forgery and pursuit, and showed up at a parole office in El Monte Nov.<TH>30, where she was scheduled to meet with her parole officer, officials said.
Olazaba was arrested at the parole office, but Herrejon allegedly rammed a police car in the parking lot before leading officers on a second pursuit, according to Covina police Lt. Dave Foster.
Herrejon again eluded officers by abandoning his car in El Monte, leaping from a tall wall and and continuing to flee on foot.
Authorities had been seeking Herrejon when Azusa police Officer Seth Chapman spotted him Saturday evening on Lee Place and saw him run into a two-story condominium, Walczak said.
Herrejon refused to come out, initiating a two-hour standoff before police forced their way into the home, Walczak said.
Once the officers got inside, Herrejon began running upstairs and was shot with a less-lethal foam projectile, officials said.
“That struck him in the back of one of his legs, however, he managed to climb up into his attic,” Walczak said.
“From his attic, we continued to order him out, the lieutenant added. “He then kicked a hole in the roof of the condo and got onto the roof.”
Officers had the home surrounded, and after another half-hour of negotiations through Covina police Sgt. Dan Regan, Herrejon was persuaded to surrender via a fire department ladder, according to Walczak.
According to county booking records, Herrejon was being held in lieu of $250,000 bail pending his initial court appearance Tuesday in West Covina Superior Court.
Olazaba, who officials said was on parole for a previous burglary conviction, was being held without bail on suspicion of burglary and forgery. She was due to appear in West Covina Superior Court Dec. 17.

PHOTOS of Gerardo Herrejon courtesy of the Covina Police Department