Man charged with knife threat

A Costa Mesa man is due in court today on charges he pulled a knife on a man, vandalized his ex-girlfriend’s apartment and ran from police, all within minutes.

Police were called to an incident near 19th Street and Wallace Avenue in Costa Mesa, where police said Jay Michael Gonzalez, 45, had pulled a knife on a man about 5:50 p.m. Sunday. Two witnesses saw Gonzalez pull the knife and called police, said Sgt. Jerry Hildeman. Officers tracked him down to a nearby apartment, which they believe is his ex-girlfriend’s, Hildeman said.

When police knocked on the door to talk to Gonzalez, he jumped out of a second-story window at the back of the apartment, police said.

Police caught him down the street, Hildeman said.

His ex-girlfriend reported that Gonzalez did about $300 worth of damage to things inside her apartment while she was in there, Hildeman said.

— Joseph Serna