3 days ago
Hitchhiker dies after Northern California deputies restrain him, using pepper spray and Taser
A Northern California hitchhiker died Thursday evening after he was restrained by law enforcement officers who zapped him with a Taser, used pepper spray and held him down on his stomach as they struggled to place him under arrest, according to the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office.
The confrontation between law enforcement and the 36-year-old hitchhiker occurred in Willits after officers received a complaint that the hitchhiker had 'brutally assaulted' a driver who had picked him up.
The incident began around 7:02 p.m. when the California Highway Patrol notified the sheriff's office of an altercation between a driver and the hitchhiker in the 2000 block of Hearst Willits Road.
Authorities say the attack on the driver was unprovoked and his injuries required hospitalization.
A sheriff's deputy responding to the area encountered the suspect walking in the middle of the roadway. According to the department, the man ignored commands, assumed a fighting stance, and lunged at the deputy, prompting a drawn Taser and repeated attempts at de-escalation.
The situation escalated as the man fled into nearby brush. Law enforcement used pepper spray and a Taser after the man resisted arrest and allegedly assaulted a deputy during the struggle to restrain him, the sheriff's office said.
Officers from the Willits Police Department arrived to assist, and authorities eventually succeeded in handcuffing the suspect.
Shortly after, deputies reported that the man became unresponsive. CPR was initiated and Narcan was administered at the scene. Emergency responders continued life-saving efforts for roughly 30 minutes before the man was pronounced dead.
As required under county protocol for in-custody deaths, the Mendocino County District Attorney's Office has taken over the investigation.
