A transient who jumped into the lake at Haster Basin Recreational Park Wednesday as officers approached, and was eventually fished out of the water, turned out to be the subject of several arrest warrants, a police lieutenant reported.
Police were at the park at 12952 Lampson Ave. looking for a suspect in an unrelated investigation when officers saw a group of homeless men near a gazebo, said Garden Grove police Lt. Carl Whitney. As the officers approached the group, one of the men ran and jumped a fence before leaping into a large flood basin in the park to swim away, he said.
Officers saw the man was having trouble swimming and lost sight of him momentarily. With rain beginning to fall and in light of the frigid water temperature, they called for help, Whitney said. An Orange County sheriff’s helicopter located the suspect hiding near shrubs along the shoreline, and firefighters helped the suspect out of the water.
He was identified as 31-year-old Jason James Harvey, a transient wanted on several arrest warrants for grand theft, burglary and being under the influence of drugs, Whitney said. Harvey was booked on suspicion of running from police and trespassing, Whitney said.