South Lake Tahoe police pursuit of suspect lands one in jail

UPDATE 11/20 11:30AM: On the night of November 15, 2020, the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) responded to a domestic violence incident in the 1200 block of Sierra Boulevard. A woman had been bettered after her boyfriend returned to their apartment after being at a local bar, allegedly throwing her around by her throat. The boyfriend, Brandon Bannowsky, then allegedly stole the victim's car and fled.

On Thursday, November 20, Bannowsky was located by SLTPD who follwed him to to the U.S. Gas Station at the corner of Lodi Avenue and Lake Tahoe Boulevard.  When Bannowsky was approached by a uniformed patrol officer, Bannowsky fled on foot from the gas station and ran across the highway and jumped the fence to the Magic Carpet Golf Course. Bannowsky was then seen in the back yard of a residence behind the golf course.

SLTPD with the assistance of the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office set up a perimeter around the area and began a yard to yard search of the area. Bannowsky was found hiding in a small space between a shed and a wooden fence. With Bannowsky cornered, he peacefully surrendered to the officers who located him in the back yard of a home, according to Laney.

According to SLTPD Lt. Shannon Laney, Bannowsky was on post release community supervision (parole) in Contra Costa County for a prior domestic violence arrest, violating a domestic violence restraining order and for theft. When he was arrested in South Lake Tahoe Thursday there was a active warrant for Bannowsky for violating his terms of parole. He had a prior arrest in South Lake Tahoe after a hours-long standoff with SLTPD in January 2018. At that time he had entered the home of an ex-girlfriend, threatened her with a baseball bat and choked her.

Bannowsky was booked into the El Dorado County Jail where he is still being held on a $250,000 bail hold. He is a resident of Walnut Creek, Calif.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A South Lake Tahoe man wanted for local felonies was arrested Thursday evening after being spotted by police officers near a Lake Tahoe Boulevard gas station.

On November 19, 2020, officers from the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) spotted a man they knew had warrants for his arrest at a gas station on the corner of Lodi Avenue. When spotted, the suspect took off on foot across the highway.

Other officers arrived and a large perimeter was set up around the area from the Upper Truckee River towards Ponderosa Avenue and Lodi Avenue. Officers searched the area including The Hangar and Magic Carpet Golf and asked residents to 'shelter in place'.

Officers started going door-to-door at homes behind the miniature golf course when motion detection lights went off at one location. In the backyard, the suspect was located and arrested without incident according to SLTPD Officer Justin Brock.

Arrested was 28-year-old Brandon T. Bannowsky.

Officer Brock said the suspect was wanted on felony warrants for robbery and domestic violence charges and has been booked in the El Dorado County Jail in South Lake Tahoe. Bannowsky's bail has been set at $250,000.