California teen arrested after mob hits, kicks deputy's car

HIGHLAND, Calif. — A teenager was arrested after a crowd of youths swarmed a deputy's patrol car earlier this month, kicking and punching the vehicle before the deputy could leave , the California Sheriff’s Office said this week.

The 15-year-old man allegedly opened the driver's door of the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department vehicle and attempted “to pass the deputy and his patrol unit” at a Highlands intersection, according to a statement released Thursday. The juvenile was arrested at his Menifee home on suspicion of attempted carjacking and felony vandalism.

The deputy was able to close the door and walk away from the encounter shortly after midnight on May 11. Video footage obtained by detectives shows an unruly mob punching the deputy's window and kicking the vehicle, leaving its windshield cracked.

About 100 people had gathered at the intersection to illegally invade the street and someone had opened a fire hydrant to make it easier for vehicles to skid, the sheriff's office said in its statement.

Gloria Huerta, a department spokeswoman, said the deputy's decision to leave was likely the safest choice.

“These individuals are not afraid of law enforcement and their behavior is very worrying,” she said.

Highland is approximately 55 miles (88 kilometers) east of Los Angeles.