Corning Police: Man tried to use 4-year-old child as shield during scuffle with officers
Photo: Martin Diaz Jr. | Corning Police Department
A Corning man was recently arrested after allegedly becoming combative with a patrol officer who approached him regarding an outstanding felony warrant for child endangerment, police said.
On the early afternoon of April 1, an officer on patrol near the 1400 block of Center Street spotted a man washing a car in his driveway. The officer discovered that the man, identified as 40-year-old Martin Diaz Jr., had a warrant out of Tehama County for child endangerment.
Upon contact, Diaz reportedly shoved the officer to the ground, resulting in an injury to the officer’s knee when he tripped over debris in Diaz’s driveway. Police say Diaz then ran into his house.
Additional officers responded to the scene, but Diaz refused to come out, reportedly threatening to kill any officers who tried to enter his house. Officers nonetheless forced entry and deployed a taser in an attempt to neutralize Diaz, at which point Diaz picked up his four-year-old son and tried to use him as a shield, police said.
The officers were soon able to get the child safely away from Diaz, and Diaz struck one of the officers in the side of the face with a closed fist. He was eventually successfully taken into custody and booked after being medically cleared.
Diaz faces charges of obstructing or resisting a peace officer, death threats, resisting or delaying, child endangerment, and his outstanding warrant.
