A man was driving in an Acura in Anaheim late Monday evening when police ran the plates and identified it as a vehicle from Downey that had been reported stolen earlier that day.
As accounted by Sgt. Daron Wyatt of the Anaheim Police Department, officers pursued the car and the driver continued for approximately one block until he entered a residential area and stopped in the middle of the road. Police suspected there may have been a malfunction with the vehicle which forced him to come to a halt.
The man, identified as Norwalk resident Hector Munoz, then locked himself in the vehicle and refused to cooperate with law enforcement. Police used a PA system and made several attempts to get Munoz to get out of the vehicle, but he allegedly did not comply willingly.
On-site officers called the department’s Special Weapons and Tactics Team (S.W.A.T.) for assistance with the situation. After nearly two hours they shot tear gas into the vehicle and Munoz exited into the street.
Munoz refused to show his hands to the officers when asked, and they shot him with non-lethal 40mm pellets designed to cause compliance through pain. He was transported to the hospital and checked for injuries before being taken into custody.
27-year-old Munoz is being held on suspicion of possession of a stolen vehicle, evading and resisting arrest, and driving without a license.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a theft crime or traffic offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.