A Santa Paula Police Officer had to be taken to the hospital Tuesday after a man he recognized and stopped near Kmart swung at him, hitting the officer in the face, not the first time the suspect has scuffled with law enforcement.
According to SPPD Sgt. Ken Clark, the July 14 incident occurred at about 12:40 p.m., when Officer Zachary Swanson was patrolling in the 800 block of Faulkner Road.
Clark said Swanson “Observed a subject,” 35-year-old Dominic Diaz of Santa Paula, who the officer was “familiar with from several prior contracts.”
Diaz was riding a bicycle and pulling a trailer behind it with several items of property: “Due to several recent thefts in the adjacent area and knowing Diaz was on probation for petty theft and battery on a police officer, Officer Swanson stopped to talk to Diaz and invoke his probation terms,” to search his belongings.
Diaz “was immediately uncooperative with Officer Swanson and started to walk away from him,” and when the officer attempted to detain Diaz, Clark said, “He pulled away and started fleeing through the Kmart parking lot.”
Diaz continued to be uncooperative, but “Officer Swanson was able to grab onto one of Diaz’s arms,” but he “swung at Officer Swanson striking him in the face.”
Additional SPPD Officers arrived on scene and were able to take Diaz into custody without further incident.
Swanson was taken to Santa Paula Hospital where he was treated for the injury to his face and released.
Clark said Diaz was arrested and charged with obstructing/resisting an officer, battery on a police officer and mayhem.
“After he was in custody he was fine,” said Clark although Diaz “wouldn’t answer any questions…”
Swanson, Clark added, “will be off duty until he gets cleared with the city doctor.”
Swanson was transported to Ventura County Jail where bail was set at $205,000.
