Woman attacks deputy during male companion's arrest

HESPERIA – San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies were forced to hunt down a man and a woman after the female attacked one of their own early Thursday morning.

Kristine Denise Morgan, 24, and Joseph Scarbarough, 44, both of Hesperia, were arrested on separate charges of resisting a peace officer.

At about 2:30 a.m., sheriff’s Deputy Eric Getts was on patrol looking for graffiti. He spotted the couple walking in the area of Peach Avenue and Bear Valley Road, according to Hesperia spokeswoman Roxanne Walker, and stopped them for a pedestrian check. He discovered what appeared to be burglary tools on Scarbarough. As Getts was placing Scarbarough in handcuffs and taking him to the patrol car, Morgan assaulted the deputy.

Getts protected himself, Walker said, which gave the handcuffed Scarbarough a chance to get away. Morgan also fled.

With help from deputies in neighboring communities, including Victorville and Apple Valley, the couple was found hiding nearby. They were taken into custody less than an hour after the incident.

“It was a short foot pursuit,” said Walker, who added that Getts was not injured during the incident.

Morgan was found in the backyard of a home and Scarbarough was arrested about two blocks away from the location where the couple was stopped.

Morgan, who was arrested for resisting a peace officer, also had an arrest warrant on her for violating parole. She has been convicted twice for grand theft, court records show.

Scarbarough has no previous criminal record in San Bernardino County, Walker said.

Both were booked at the Victor Valley Sheriff’s substation.

Hesperia is a high desert community located next to Apple Valley and Victor Valley, 25 miles from San Bernardino.