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# Man escapes courthouse, enters Samohi
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/man-escapes-courthouse-enters-samohi/
- Published: 2002-06-07T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T00:19:21.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Education, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*By Daily Press staff*

Santa Monica High School was nearly locked down by police Thursday after a criminal escaped custody at the courthouse and entered campus.

The man, whose identity was not known at press time, apparently ran across Fourth Street and entered the high school track area on the campus’ west side, sources said.

The Santa Monica Courthouse and Samohi are across the street from each other.

At about 2:30 p.m., Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies were on scene and took the man into custody on the east end of the campus, sources said. He was reportedly being held on motor vehicle theft charges.

Two police cars arrived on scene with about a dozen students looking on.

Sources said police almost resorted to locking down the school before they caught the man.

School officials were not available for comment.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/060702-03_02.jpg)

L.A. (Photo: Carolyn Sackariason/Daily Press)

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 7, 2002.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/060702.pdf?ref=smdp.com)