By Donna Beth Weilenman
Staff Reporter

The 22-year-old American Canyon man identified as the suspect who exchanged gunfire with a Benicia police officer Saturday afternoon remained in Solano County Jail, Fairfield, after his arrest Sunday morning in Vallejo, authorities said Monday.

Robert Flores Folster was arrested by Benicia police with help from Vallejo police at 1324 Lincoln Road East in Vallejo on Sunday morning, according to Lt. Mike Greene and Solano County Jail records.

Folster has been booked on charges of burglary, endangerment of a child that could result in injury or death, attempted murder, carjacking, receiving stolen property and vehicle theft, according to jail records.

All are felony charges. While bail of $1,050,000 was set for the first three charges, Folster is being held without bail on the latter three.

The incident began with a Benicia police officer making a routine traffic stop at 6:55 p.m. Saturday afternoon after she saw a motorist driving a red Pontiac Vibe run a stop sign on Solano Avenue and Rose Drive, Greene said Monday.

While the officer was learning the car had been stolen, the motorist, accompanied by his passengers, a woman and her baby, drove off.

Cornered on Tyne Drive, the motorist began shooting at the officer, who returned fire, Green said. Neither was injured in the exchange, he said.

At least three bullet holes damaged the patrol car, Greene said, though an investigation has yet to determine how many rounds were fired during the episode.

The motorist drove off but abandoned the car, Greene said.

He escaped by hijacking a Benicia woman’s sports utility vehicle at gunpoint from the parking lot of the apartments at 900 Cambridge Drive, Lt. Scott Przekurat of Benicia police said.

The man abandoned that car when he saw his escape route was blocked by police vehicles, Przekurat said, then fled on foot.

The woman whose car he stole was not hurt, Greene said.

Police cordoned off an extensive area, including condominiums and parks in the vicinity of Rose and Tyne drives, and began searching for the man, Greene said.

California Highway Patrol, Solano County Sheriff’s deputies and Vallejo Police joined Benicia Police and canine officers on the ground, and a CHP airplane scanned the area from the sky.

But “we could not locate him,” Greene said. The search was called off at about 11:30 p.m. Saturday, he said.

The woman who originally had been with the motorist initially was detained and her baby was placed in the care of relatives, Greene said. However, the woman was released later after questioning.

Police kept looking for the suspect, Greene said, and obtained a $1 million arrest warrant for him.

“Benicia police detectives developed information he was in Vallejo, and received information that he was in the 800 block of Humboldt Drive,” he said.

Officers went to the area and set up surveillance, he said. The suspect was seen walking in the area.

Once he realized he was spotted, he ran, Greene said, but officers captured him.

The man was interviewed by Benicia police, Greene said, but he declined to elaborate on what the man said.

“He chose to speak with us, and gave us a lengthy statement,” he said.

Police have recovered a handgun they believe was the weapon used by the suspect to fire on the officer, Greene said, and the department is testing the weapon to confirm its use in the incident.

The officer involved in the shooting has been placed on administrative leave in compliance with state requirements, Greene said.

“We’re not questioning the actions of our officer,” he said.

He said it was the first time in several years that someone fired on a Benicia police officer.

“We’re happy the incident was resolved the way it was,” he said. “It taxed our resources. We’re happy to get assistance from the surrounding organizations.”

The arrest, which he said was the result of careful planning to take the suspect into custody safely, came about through “good, old-fashioned detective police work.”