Man arrested for crashing van into Coronado police cars, attacking K9 dog with wrench

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The Coronado Police Department said it arrested a man who rammed two patrol cars before attacking a K9 with a wrench Wednesday night.

According to a CPD Facebook post, officers were dispatched to the Coronado Bridge around 11 p.m. Wednesday after a woman reported her son, who was suicidal, was sitting in his pickup truck in that area.

Once officers arrived, the man began to drive away, leading them to a small parking lot at an apartment complex on Second Street, according to CPD. Officers ordered him to get out of the van, but he refused. He then backed the vehicle into two Coronado patrol cars that were blocking the exit.

The driver then drove toward the apartment complex, narrowly missing two California Highway Patrol cars that responded to assist the CPD.

“Officers were able to disable the vehicle a few blocks away, rendering it inoperable,” the CPD Facebook post reads. “At that location, the driver did not comply with officers’ commands and began throwing objects at them.”

At that point, National City police officers arrived on scene and sent their K9 to subdue the man. The driver then attacked the K9 with a wrench, according to CPD.

Officers then fired several pepper spray rounds at the man, eventually causing him to surrender, police said.

“He was taken into custody and transported to a San Diego area hospital. The dog was also transported to a veterinary hospital for evaluation,” the Facebook post said.

CPD says not only were the two patrol cars damaged, but the apartment complex also sustained damage due to the suspect's erratic driving on its tracks.

Police say the suspect was a 26-year-old Santee resident. He faces the following charges:

• Driving under the influence of alcohol
• Avoid
• Assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer
• Resistance to arrest
• Act of criminal vandalism
• Intentionally injuring a peace officer's dog

The CPD thanked the CHP, NCPD and the San Diego Police Department for their response and assistance during this incident.