The Sunnyvale Sun

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Police search for carjacker nets suspect in Campbell

Man on parole for '93 attempted murder in shooting at officers

By HUGH BIGGAR

Campbell police arrested a man Sept. 7 on charges of stealing a car in Cupertino and violating parole.

Police had been searching for Bradley Proulx, 42, for several days in connection with a series of crimes in Cupertino earlier in the week.

On Sept. 1, a Cupertino resident told police she found Proulx inside her home at 8 a.m. The police report didn't say at what point she was able to call police, but stated that Proulx left the home when deputies arrived. He then forcibly stole a vehicle. Police pursued, and he allegedly wrecked the car on Vallco Parkway. He is then alleged to have assaulted a security guard, attempted to take two other occupied cars and fled through the parking a lot on foot. He had been at large since.

Acting on a tip, Campbell police found Proulx at about 2 a.m. six days later behind a house on Hacienda Avenue in that city.

"He was seen driving around the west side on Wednesday night," Capt. Russ Patterson, a spokesman for the Campbell Police Department, said.

"Working with the Santa Clara PD we found Proulx in a detached cottage on Hacienda Avenue."

According to Patterson, Proulx said he had a gun and would shoot. Due to Proulx's prior conviction for attempted murder of a Sunnyvale police officer in 1993 when he shot at squad cars during a police chase, the Campbell police called in a SWAT team. As the SWAT team took its positions, Proulx walked out at about 4:15 a.m. and refused to follow police instructions. Police unleashed a German shepherd, which wrestled with Proulx. After the dog bit Proulx, he surrendered. He was taken to the Santa Clara County Jail.

The Santa Clara police had also been looking for Proulx in connection with a commercial burglary, hit and run accident and parole violation in that city Aug. 20.