Truckee police arrest registered sex offender who allegedly hurled knife at officer
Sierra Sun
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TRUCKEE, Calif. and#8212; A registered sex offender with a recent criminal history was arrested last month on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon after police say the man hurled a knife at an officer.
On Oct. 11 at approximately 3:45 p.m., a Truckee Police Department officer responded to a call of an apparent transient and#8212; later identified as Steven Glen Johansen, 53, from Salt Lake County in Utah and#8212; who was allegedly causing disturbances with community residents and loitering around Old Brockway Road and Estates Drive, near where Head Start Truckee Pines preschool is located, said Truckee Police Capt. Randy Fenn in interviews this and last week. The man was eventually located near the Truckee Skate Park.
Upon contact with Johansen, the officer involved instructed him to leave the area. Johansen then threw a knife at the officer, Fenn said, and was immediately arrested on suspicion of the felony assault charge and booked at the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office Jail.
According to the booking report at the jail, Johansen is listed as a Nevada City, Calif., resident.
After identifying Johansen at the skate park and seeing nearby children, the officer’s intentions were to remove Johansen from the area, Fenn said.
and#8220;The officer knew that this subject was a sex registrant from out of state,and#8221; Fenn said.
He said the department would not disclose Johansen’s past criminal history.
and#8220;… I can’t disclose that but, suffice it to say, we had reason to believe he was a registered sex offender from another state,and#8221; Fenn said.
According to the Elko Daily Free Press, Johansen was arrested on Sept. 26 for failing to register as a sex offender and defrauding a bookkeeper. Further research indicates Johansen was arrested in August and booked in Salt Lake County (Utah) Jail on suspicion of DUI and driving without a valid license and proper insurance.
Johansen remains in custody in Nevada County Jail. It is unknown if he has an attorney.
and#8212; Sun Managing Editor Kevin MacMillan contributed to this story.
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