Santa Rosa man arrested after allegedly assaulting grandmother, police officer

Phil Mayer
·2 min read

(KRON) — A Santa Rosa man was arrested on Wednesday after he allegedly shoved his grandmother into a wall and repeatedly punched a police officer, the Santa Rosa Police Department said. Police identified the man as 25-year-old Paulino Garfias of Santa Rosa.

SRPD responded to a home on the 400 block of Walkam Place at 8:05 p.m. to investigate a family disturbance. Police were told that a man pushed his 60-year-old grandmother twice, causing her to fall and hit her head on a wall.

Garfias had left by the time officers arrived. The victim had a cut on her forehead and was taken to a hospital by a family member.

About five minutes after the disturbance was reported, an SRPD officer saw Garfias walking near the intersection of Dutton Avenue and South Avenue. The officer called out to Garfias, and he squatted and stuck his middle finger back at the officer, according to SRPD.

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The officer walked towards Garfias, who took off running southbound on Dutton Avenue. After chasing the suspect for about 200 feet, the officer tackled him.

Garfias then rolled on top of the officer and punched him in the face multiple times before getting up and running again. SRPD said the officer got up and chased Garfias again. After he ignored commands to stop, the officer tased him and handcuffed him.

The officer fractured a bone in his face from Garfias’ punches, SRPD said. He was hospitalized and later released.

Garfias had previous arrests for fighting with officers during a hit-and-run investigation in 2018 and for kicking and headbutting officers in 2020.

He was arrested on Wednesday for battery causing injury to a peace officer (felony), resisting arrest (felony) and battery (misdemeanor). He is being held in jail on a $100,000 bail.

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