A would-be theft suspect fought two officers during his arrest on Tuesday, July 8 but ended up with more serious charges before he was hauled to the county jail.
A Richland Liquors employee called police at 5:50 p.m. about an intoxicated man in the store attempting to steal items. When Officer Tom Miller arrived he found parolee Reginald Scott, 50, making his way northbound on Richland Avenue. When commanded to stop, Scott did not respond. Miller physically stopped Scott in the street and Scott immediately put up a fight, at one point grabbing for Miller's gun. Officer Trinidad Viramontes arrived as backup and saw the suspect on top of Miller trying to punch him. Viramontes fired Taser barbs into Scott but the suspect disconnected from them.
Scott then began fighting Viramontes who began striking back with a baton. Acting Police Chief Brent Smith said that the suspect was incidentally struck in the head which stopped him.
After he was medically cleared at Doctors Medical Center, Scott was booked into the County Jail on charges of assault on a peace officer.
Scott is also a registered sex offender.