SPPD: Local teen arrested
for suspicion of failing
to yield, resisting arrest
February 04, 2015
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
Santa Paula Police arrested an area teenager Saturday just the latest of “numerous contacts” that police claim often involves suspect attempts to provoke an officer to overreact so it can be filmed on a cell phone.
According to SPPD Senior Officer Dan Potter the January 31 incident started about 12:05 p.m. near the intersection of Santa Paula and Cameron streets where an officer saw a vehicle with an alleged broken brake light.
When the officer activated the patrol car’s bar light and attempted to stop the driver, he failed to yield.
As the officer followed him, Potter noted the driver “continued driving and extended his left hand out high, displaying a provoking hand gesture.”
The driver continued and pulled into the driveway to his nearby residence and immediately exited the car.
According to Potter, the suspect “began yelling ‘help’ and for family members to come out,” and when family members and neighbors came out of their residences they “began interfering with officers... “
Potter said the driver of the vehicle, Justin Gaeta, 18, “continued to be uncooperative with officer’s commands and at one point quickly reached near his front waist where the officer was unable to see. The officer at that point feared for Gaeta possibly pulling out a weapon, specifically a gun, in which the officer immediately drew his firearm toward Gaeta.”
Instead of a weapon, Gaeta pulled out a cell phone and started video taping the officer and “continued his attempt to antagonize the officer and would not follow commands while other officers arrived to assist.”
Potter said “Gaeta was further resistant with commands, forcing officers to go to him for physical control, instead of Gaeta peacefully going to officers as they requested.”
Once officers got control over Gaeta he was arrested and charged with suspicion of failing to yield during a traffic stop and resisting or delaying an officer in the performance of their duties.
No one else at the scene was arrested.
“Gaeta,” stated Potter, “has had numerous recent contacts with SPPD officers and often provokes an officer in an attempt for them to overreact to the situation on cell phone video. He has been unsuccessful in those attempts.”
Gaeta’s “recent and separate arrests” by SPPD include prowling, trespassing with criminal intent, vandalism to the newly built additions to Santa Paula High School, and inciting a riot at Santa Paula High School.
Gaeta, who was last arrested by the SPPD on January 27, was transported to Ventura County Jail.
