Assault, battery and other counts were filed Tuesday against a man accused of wielding a metal blow torch and a “knife-like object” on Santa Ana police officers, one of whom was gouged in the eye, while out on bail on charges stemming from a separate alleged attack on several officers who responded to a domestic dispute in July.
Braulio Victorio Hernandez, 29, is also accused of vandalizing a police camera with graffiti while in custody this past weekend, according to court records.
Hernandez’s first alleged tussle with police was on July 15, when officers were called to the 800 block of South Orange Avenue regarding a dispute between the defendant and his ex-girlfriend, according to Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna. The residents complained he was high on narcotics and wanted him to leave, but he refused, Bertagna said.
Upon their arrival, he got into a fight with two officers and grabbed for their guns, Bertagna alleged. He said police tried to subdue the suspect with a stun gun, but that did not work and he got on the roof of another house, where police again tried to use a stun gun to get him down, but he continued to resist.
When Hernandez was ultimately arrested with help from numerous other officers, police found him in possession of methamphetamine, the corporal alleged.
Hernandez posted $25,000 bail on July 24 and was released, according to court records.
On Saturday, his ex-girlfriend’s family again called police complaining Hernandez was causing a “disturbance,” Bertagna said.
When officers arrived, they saw the suspect in a car with the ex-girlfriend and, “before they can even get started, he gets out and rushes the officers,” Bertagna alleged.
During the clash, he allegedly gouged one officer in the eye. That officer had to be taken to an area hospital for treatment, Bertagna said.
In the earlier alleged conflict with police, Hernandez faces two felony counts each of resisting arrest, assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury and battery on a police officer, along with three counts of resisting arrest and single counts each of trespassing, possession of a drug paraphernalia, and possession of a controlled substance, all misdemeanors.
In the latest alleged clash with police, he is charged with two counts each of assault with a weapon on a police officer and battery, resisting arrest and attempted mayhem, with sentencing enhancement allegations of committing an offense while out on bail for a separate alleged crime, and misdemeanor vandalism.
Hernandez pleaded not guilty to those charges and was ordered to return to court for a pretrial hearing on Sept. 19.
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