LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Sheriff's Office has issued an update on the arrest of a Madera man on Saturday afternoon at the scene of a wildland fire along Highway 20.
Lt. Corey Paulich said that at approximately 2:12 p.m. Saturday Lake County Sheriff’s deputies along with Cal Fire firefighting personnel responded to the area of Highway 20 and Mule Skinner Road in Clearlake Oaks for a report of a vegetation fire.
When the first deputy arrived, Paulich said he saw a man who was later identified as Jose Medina Jimenez, 27, standing in the middle of Highway 20 waving his arms in the air. Several bystanders who had stopped in the area were watching the fire and told the arriving deputy that Jimenez was responsible for starting the fire.
As the deputy approached Jimenez, Jimenez removed a knife with a 6-inch blade from his pants pocket and started pacing around, Paulich said.
Paulich said the deputy told Jimenez repeatedly to drop the knife, but Jimenez instead walked towards the deputy. Jimenez also sat on the ground appearing to cut himself before attempting to enter an unoccupied vehicle that was parked in the area.
A bystander who spoke Spanish assisted the deputy in giving commands to Jimenez. After several minutes, Jimenez disarmed himself and was taken into custody, Paulich said.
While in custody, Jimenez became combative. Paulich said the deputy maintained control of Jimenez until additional deputy sheriffs arrived to place Jimenez in a patrol vehicle.
Once inside the vehicle, Jimenez began kicking the door. When deputies opened the patrol vehicle door, Jimenez charged them and had to again be restrained with a leg restraint, Paulich said.
Paulich said Jimenez appeared to be under the influence of a controlled substance and was transported to the Lake County Jail.
During the altercation, one deputy sustained a minor injury that did not require any medical treatment. Paulich said Jimenez remains in custody at the Lake County Jail and is expected to appear in court later this week.
An investigation is being conducted by Cal Fire Fire prevention officers into the cause and origin of the “Mule” fire, which Paulich said burned approximately six acres of vegetation on a property that contained an unpermitted, illegal marijuana cultivation site. He said Jimenez is suspected of working at the site.
The investigation will be a cooperative effort between Cal Fire and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Paulich said.
Madera man arrested at scene of Saturday Mule fire
- Lake County News reports
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