Gilroy Police Reportedly Find DUI Suspect’s Home Filled with Gas from Stove, At Risk of Explosion
Above: Markus Beck
Photo credit: Gilroy PD
A Gilroy man was recently arrested following a series of strange incidents which reportedly include multiple DUI collisions and a house filled with gas.
In a press release, the Gilroy Police Department described multiple alleged incidents which led to the arrest of Markus Beck, 46.
In the early morning hours of February 28, officers responded to a report of a hit-and-run near Mantelli Drive and Wren Avenue. At the scene, officers discovered that a vehicle had struck several parked cars and then fled the area. Beck was later identified as the driver. He was located nearby, still sitting in his vehicle.
Officers allegedly discovered a loaded firearm in the driver compartment, as well as a loaded AR-15 style rifle in the trunk. Both were registered to Beck, police said.
Beck was also found to be under the influence of alcohol at the time of the collisions, resulting in his arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence, hit-and-run, and illegal storage of firearms.
All of this followed a separate incident two days prior on February 26, in which Beck reportedly an office at Luigi Aprea Elementary School to talk to a female staff member he thought worked there. School staff asked Beck to leave the campus, but he simply left the office and allegedly loitered around the perimeter of the school.
School staff asked him to leave once more, then called police. Police responded and located Beck, who by that time had returned to his home nearby, and advised him to stay away from the school.
Due to these incidents, police sought a gun violence restraining order against Beck and went to his residence, located on the 9200 block of Mockingbird Lane, to seize any additional firearms and ammunition.
At Beck’s home, officers reportedly discovered that a gas stove had been emitting gas, creating significant risk of an explosion and resulting in a brief evacuation of the nearby elementary school and neighboring homes. Gilroy fire personnel and PG&E responded to the scene and secured the residence, ultimately declaring it safe.
Beck remains in custody at the Santa Clara County jail. The investigation into these incidents is active and ongoing.
