CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Police arrested a Clearlake man on Friday in a trespassing case, with the man attempting to take an officer's handgun during the arrest.
Erik Joseph Preader, 42, was taken into custody following the incident, according to Clearlake Police Sgt. Rodd Joseph.
Shortly before noon on Friday Clearlake Police officers responded to Rite-Aid, located at 15025 Olympic Drive, on a report of a subject trespassing inside the store, Joseph said.
Joseph said officers arrived and contacted Preader inside the business, and Preader left the business at the request of store management without incident.
Shortly after 2:30 p.m., Rite-Aid employees called the Clearlake Police Department to report that Preader was back at the business causing a disturbance. Joseph said Rite-Aid management requested an officer respond to provide a trespass admonishment to Preader.
Joseph said a trespass admonishment is a warning given to an individual that they can be arrested if they return to the place they have received a trespass admonishment from, which in this case was Rite-Aid.
A Clearlake Police officer contacted Preader and provided him with the trespass admonishment. Again, Preader left the business without incident, Joseph said.
Approximately 15 minutes later, Preader again returned to Rite-Aid and Joseph said Rite-Aid management requested a private person’s arrest on Preader for trespassing.
Joseph said two Clearlake Police officers responded to Rite-Aid and located Preader back inside the business.
Because of the earlier trespass admonishment, Preader’s refusal to stay away from the business, and the management’s request to have Preader arrested, officers decided to arrest Preader for a simple trespass violation. Joseph said this misdemeanor violation would normally result in the violator receiving a citation with a date to appear in court.
During the arrest, Preader became combative and threatened to “head butt” one of the arresting officers and also threatened to kick one of the officers in the genitals, Joseph said.
To prevent any violence against the officers, Joseph said Preader was pinned up against the side of the patrol car where he was handcuffed.
At that point, Preader reached back towards the arresting officer’s duty belt and managed to get one of the officer’s handgun holster security features unlocked, Joseph said.
Feeling this threat from Preader, the officer forcibly took Preader to the ground. Joseph said Preader suffered a minor head injury in the incident and was taken to St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake for medical treatment.
After being treated for his injury, Preader was booked into the Lake County Jail for misdemeanor violations of trespassing and attempting to remove and officer’s handgun, and a felony violation of resisting with violence, Joseph said.
Joseph said neither officer was injured in the assault.
The case will be forwarded to the Lake County District Attorney’s Office for filing, Joseph said.
Clearlake man arrested after attempting to take officer's gun during struggle
- Lake County News reports
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