Man Tased when he refuses to comply with officers’ orders
April 09, 2010
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula Police Department
The theft of a boutique beer at an area convenience store led to the arrest of a Santa Paula man who refused to comply with the orders of police officers and had to be Tased.
According to Santa Paula Police Lt. Carlos Juarez, the incident occurred early Monday morning at about 12:33 a.m.
Officers had earlier responded to Circle K, located at the corner of West Harvard Boulevard and Peck Road, for a report of a beer theft from the gas station’s convenience store.
The officers “Believed a subject” they later saw in the area of Circle K “might be involved in the theft... they saw the subject walk by, recognized him,” as Rudy Ornelas, 30, of Santa Paula, “and told him to stop.”
Juarez said Ornelas swore at officers and “kept going. When officers tried to detain him he pulled away.”
Because officers had not been able to check Ornelas to determine whether or not he was carrying a weapon officers “Ordered him to the ground. He refused,” and an officer illuminated the Taser to show Ornelas he was armed with the electronic control device.
When Ornelas continued to disobey officers’ orders the Taser was activated “and he went to the ground.”
Juarez said Ornelas was arrested for delaying and obstructing an officer.
Although the Circle K clerk was unable to identify Ornelas as the beer thief and Ornelas was not charged with same, Juarez said police “Believe he was involved in the theft,” due to other information obtained during the investigation.