A 50-year-old man was arrested after he barricaded himself in a downtown Morgan Hill brewpub with a hatchet, according to police.
About 7:30pm March 15, Morgan Hill Police responded to Kelly Brewing Company, 70 E. Fourth St., on a report of a subject inside the business. The man was armed with a hatchet and causing a disturbance, MHPD said in a press release.
Officers responded and learned from an employee that the unknown man entered the brewpub and began yelling and destroying property with the hatchet, authorities said.
The employee and several patrons who were inside the business at the time were able to escape without being harmed, police said.
The initial responding officer saw the suspect inside the business and commanded him to stop causing a disturbance. The man began throwing furniture at the officer, authorities said.
The officer used a “less-lethal” projectile to subdue the suspect and prevent him from escaping into the busy downtown area, police said.
The suspect became more agitated and retreated farther back into the business. He barricaded himself in a small office, police said.
More officers arrived on the scene and tried to negotiate with the suspect, later identified as 50-year-old Jeorg Lerand.
Lerand continued to resist officers’ commands and damaged more property, according to police. The MHPD K9 officer arrived at the scene, and Lerand finally surrendered to police without further incident.
Lerand was booked at the Santa Clara County Jail on suspicion of felony vandalism, resisting arrest and assault with a deadly weapon, police said.
Authorities do not know why Lerand entered the business with a hatchet. Nobody was seriously injured during the incident, according to police.
