Bizarre 7-hour ocean standoff ends in arrest

John Michael White, 46, was being pursued by police officers for a drug-related felony warrant when he ran into the ocean.

FOX 5 San Diego

John Michael White, 46, was being pursued by police officers for a drug-related felony warrant when he ran into the ocean.

CORONADO, Calif. — A man who appeared to be high on drugs surrendered early Monday after spending more than seven hours in the ocean off Coronado evading police, who said he was wanted on a felony warrant.

John Michael White spent seven hours in the surf off Coronado trying to avoid the police.

John Michael White, 46, took off all of his clothes except for his briefs and ran into the water from the area of the Hotel Del Coronado around 9:50 p.m. Sunday as officers were trying to take him into custody on a felony warrant alleging narcotics violations, according to the Coronado Police Department.

Throughout the night, White stayed in the water as Coronado police, lifeguards, the Coast Guard and Navy Shore Patrol surrounded him and tried to coax him out of the surf. Helicopters flew overhead, divers were on standby and police K-9 patrol units waited on the beach, but the man threatened to kill himself if anyone approached.

Ocean currents eventually pushed him down to Silver Strand State Beach. Finally, shortly before 5:30 a.m., a Harbor Police dive team took White into custody, police said. He was taken to a UCSD Medical Center in Hillcrest for observation and faces a charge of resisting arrest, as well as those on the original arrest warrant.

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