A suspect led police on a foot chase Thursday after fleeing from Southwestern Oregon Community College campus security at the Newmark Center. With the help of a Coos Bay Police dog, officers tracked Apollo Warnock, above, to an island in John Topits Park, arrested him and brought him back to shore in a boat. World Photo by Madeline Steege

A man who fled from campus security at Southwestern Oregon Community College, Thursday, was arrested after officers tracked him to an island at John Topits Park.

At about 3:12 p.m., Southwestern Public Safety Officer Larry Schafer and two fellow security officers responded to the Newmark Center, 2110 Newmark Ave., on a report of a restraining order violation. There, a man told officers he had a restraining order against the woman, and when they turned to look at her, he bolted, Schafer said.

Public Safety Officer Ryan Doyle chased the man on foot down a trail leading to upper Empire Lake, where the man waded out to the island. Coos Bay Police officers, Coquille Tribal Police and Oregon State Police troopers were called for assistance in locating the man and OSP provided a boat.

At approximately 3:50 p.m., law enforcement members, including Coos Bay Police dog Vico and handler, Officer Sean Merritt, rode over to the island and spent about 10 minutes searching through heavy brush for the man.

Merritt said the dog tracked the suspect to north side of the island where he was found lying partially on an embankment and partially in the water. He said the suspect surrendered without further incident.

Police identified the man as Apollo G. Warnock, 28, of Coos Bay. As Warnock, a tall man with a shaved head whose bare chest was splashed with mud, came off the boat, he said he ran because he had a parole violation.

“I'm a non-violent criminal,” Warnock said.

Warnock was arrested on a charge of violating his parole and was lodged in the Coos County jail.

According to Coos County Criminal Courts staff, Warnock violated parole on a first-degree burglary conviction from October 2004. He served 19 months in prison and was required to complete 36 months of parole.