SPPD: Suspect in burglaries resists arrest, tased by officer
December 18, 2015
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
A suspect wanted as part of a residential burglary investigation was arrested Tuesday but not before he resisted and was tased by a Santa Paula Police Officer.
The suspect had been arrested just last month on assorted charges ranging from theft of an expensive bicycle to possession of a heroin-loaded syringe
According to SPPD Sgt. Cody Madison the December 15 incident occurred when SPPD Officers were on Bicycle Patrol and saw the suspect Jess Meraz, 35 of Santa Paula in the 100 block of West Harvard Boulevard.
Police wanted to talk to Meraz about recent residential burglaries that took place in the 300 block of West Santa Barbara Street and the 300 block of South Steckel Drive, but when “Officers told Meraz to stop he fled from officers.”
Meraz fled to an upstairs apartment occupied by people he knows, forced his way inside and attempted to flee out the back door to the balcony.
“Officers pursued Meraz into the apartment and Meraz continued to resist arrest,” and a taser was deployed.
Thereafter said Madison Meraz “complied with officers and was taken into custody...”
Meraz was transported to the Santa Paula Hospital Emergency Room where he was medically cleared and later transported to Ventura County Main Jail for two counts of felony residential burglary and one count of felony resisting arrest. Meraz’s bail is set at $130,000.
Meraz was arrested in November for suspicion of stealing three bicycles, he was also found in possession of construction tools believed to be stolen.
During the booking process, “a methamphetamine pipe and a loaded hypodermic syringe was located in his property,” and Madison said the syringe “contained a substance later determined to be heroin.”
After that November arrest Meraz was released after posting a $30,000 bail.
