A Morgan Hill man was booked into Santa Clara County Jail Friday
night after he was irritating customers at the Valero gas station
on Monterey Road near Middle Avenue and later attempted to fight
with police officers.
Morgan Hill – A Morgan Hill man was booked into Santa Clara County Jail Friday night after he was irritating customers at the Valero gas station on Monterey Road near Middle Avenue and later attempted to fight with police officers.
Gerald Reynolds, 28, of Morgan Hill, was charged with felony spousal abuse by Santa Clara County sheriff’s deputies after his arrest by Morgan Hill police.
According to Morgan Hill police Cmdr. Joe Sampson, deputies were looking for Reynolds, who had allegedly been drinking, after an incident in San Martin.
Morgan Hill police Cpl. Michael Brookman and officer Brandon Richards arrested Reynolds when they responded to a complaint at the Valero. Sampson said Reynolds was allegedly harassing customers at the gas station and causing problems. He said Reynolds reached into a vehicle as a woman pulled up to a pump and told her to get out of the vehicle. She panicked and drove away, Sampson said.
When Richards and Brookman arrived at the gas station, Reynolds took off on his bike, westbound across Monterey Road and hid behind a transit bus that had pulled up at the nearby bus stop. Sampson said Richards pulled his police car behind him and called out for Reynolds to stop, but he then took off southbound on his bicycle. Brookman then came up to block the bike lane, driving past him and stopping several car lengths in front of him.
Sampson said Reynolds then tried to jump his bike up on the sidewalk but was unsuccessful and crashed into the patrol car. He then tried to flee on foot, but Richards caught up to him. Reynolds tried to fight with Richards, who ordered him down to the ground. Reynolds didn’t obey and Richards used his baton on Reynolds’ arm and leg, but he still did not comply with officer orders, Sampson said. Brookman came forward and also ordered Reynolds down, telling him he would use a taser, but Reynolds didn’t comply, so Brookman used the taser, striking Reynolds in the chest, and Reynolds went down down.
Richards had had prior contact with Reynolds, Sampson said, and knew that he was on parole. After further investigation, officers learned that sheriff’s deputies were looking for Reynolds because he had allegedly assaulted his wife earlier.
Reynolds was taken to Saint Louise Regional Hospital for medical clearance, and then deputies took him to county jail.
