At that point, the employee noticed the card looked fraudulent. She also noticed the subject who had presented the card, matched the description of a subject who had been using counterfeit credit cards during the past two months to purchase hundreds of dollars worth of gift cards. Another employee confirmed this was the same subject, who had been using fraudulent cards to purchase gift cards.
The manager contacted the subject and called the police department. When the first officer arrived at the restaurant, the suspect took off running, at which time a foot chase insured.
A second officer arrived in the area and located the subject hiding in some blackberry bushes, near the Lowe’s parking lot. Taken into custody was Mark Hyder, 21 of Twain Harte. Hyder complained of pain from twisting his ankle during the foot chase and hitting his head when he fell. Hyder also had several abrasions from the blackberry bushes he was hiding in.
Hyder was transported to Sonora Regional Medical Center for treatment. After being released from the hospital, Hyder was transported to the Tuolumne County Jail and booked for; felony burglary, felony theft of goods with a counterfeit access card, felony forgery of an access card, and felony violation of probation.
This is not Hyder’s first time for being arrested while using counterfeit credit cards. He was arrested on 16 June 2014, when he presented a false identification card and a counterfeit credit card to rent a hotel room in Sonora. That case is still pending. Hyder is also on felony probation for resting an officer.
So far, it has been determined that Hyder purchased over $500 in gift cards with counterfeit credit cards at Applebee’s. This investigation is ongoing.
