Santa Cruz Police Officer Assaulted During Investigation
SANTA CRUZ (CBS SF) -- Police in Santa Cruz are seeking information leading to the identification of a man who interfered with a police investigation and assaulted a police officer on Saturday.
At about 1 p.m., a Santa Cruz police officer was speaking with a male subject in the 600 block of Ocean Street, when an unknown male interrupted the investigation, according to police.
The suspect, described as a white man, approximately 25 years old, wearing a yellow T-shirt, rolled up blue jeans and a black baseball cap with the word LobCity on the front, police said.
The suspect walked over to the subject involved in the police investigation and sat down next to him, police said.
The officer told the suspect to step back and wait until after he was through with the investigation. The suspect walked away briefly, but returned a few minutes later.
He challenged the officer, waving his arms and clenching his fists. When the suspect moved closer to the officer, the officer armed himself with a Taser and again told the suspect to step back, according to police.
The suspect removed his baseball cap and threw it in the officer's face, police said.
In response, the officer attempted to use the Taser on the suspect, but was not successful and the suspect fled the area on foot, police said.
Officers searched the nearby area, but did not locate him.
Witnesses told police they saw the suspect take off his shirt and get inside a cream-colored convertible PT Cruiser. The suspect was seen driving north on Ocean Street and then turning west onto Water Street, police said.
Anyone with information regarding the suspect is asked to contact Santa Cruz police at (831) 420-5820.
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