Suspect Was Seen By Chief Of Police Looking into Police Vehicles
WATSONVILLE—Officers with the Watsonville Police Department arrested 21-year-old resident Daniel Miguel Guzman after he assaulted Police Sergeant Ed Delfin when he tried to search him for weapons.
Last Friday Afternoon at 12:16 p.m., while Watsonville Police Chief Manny Solano was attending a meeting for Jacob’s Heart Children’s Cancer Support Services, he noticed Guzman and another suspect looking into unmarked police vehicles. “It appeared as though they tried to open the doors.” Watsonville Police Chief Solano said.
When Chief Solano questioned the two suspects they left the area. The Chief then radioed the report to units in the area, and the direction of travel of the two suspects. They were last seen walking down Airport Boulevard towards Roache Road.
Jacob’s Heart Children’s Cancer Center in Watsonville.
Watsonville Police Sergeant Ed Delfin made contact with the two suspects on Airport Boulevard. Sergeant Delfin was in the process of a field interrogation, when, for his safety, he began to search Guzman for weapons. That is when Guzman took the opportunity to attack the sergeant.
Sergeant Delfin deployed his taser, but one of the probes did not make contact and the taser was ineffective. As the struggle continued Guzman was able to get hold of Sergeant Delfin’s Baton.
As the struggle moved across the street, two unknown citizens came to the aid of the Sergeant and assisted in restraining Guzman. Arriving officers then took him into custody. Guzman was transported to Watsonville Community Hospital for medical evaluation.
The parking lot at the rear of the Center, where Guzman was checking out cars.
Sergeant Delfin was also transported to Watsonville Community Hospital but was released a short time later with abrasions and bruising. He was able to finish his shift and is expected to return to work.
Guzman was also released from the hospital, but transported to the Santa Cruz County Jail and booked on charges of resisting arrest, battery on a peace officer tampering with a vehicle and a probation violation. His bail is set at $5,000.00 dollars. This was not Guzman’s first run-in with police. In March of this year he was charged with vehicle theft, street terrorism, and resisting arrest. He was arrested on May 21, on probation violations, and again a week later on both probation violation and carrying a concealed “dirk or dagger”.
