A Canyon Country man attempting to get a copy of a previous ticket from deputies at the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station was arrested instead Saturday night on suspicion of driving under the influence, trespassing and being under the influence of a controlled substance.
The suspect, a man whose residence was listed as transient and occupation a day laborer, allegedly drove past multiple “Do Not Enter” signs outside the Sheriff’s Station’s private parking lot and parked next to deputies’ patrol vehicles behind the station.
The man began knocking on the rear door that leads to the station’s jail around 7 p.m., per station officials.
“Deputies immediately detained the male and learned he was attempting to get a copy of citation from a prior arrest after parking his vehicle in the private parking lot,” according to an email Monday from Deputy Natalie Arriaga, spokeswoman for the SCV Sheriff’s Station.
Deputies reported several pieces of information from their initial encounter, according to the preliminary arrest report: Deputies observed numerous open cans of beer in plain view in the vehicle; the man did not possess a valid driver’s license; and the man had an outstanding misdemeanor warrant from another county, Arriaga noted.
Due to the man’s alleged behavior, deputies also became concerned he might be under the influence of a controlled substance, which prompted them to conduct field sobriety tests, which the suspect then failed.
The 25-year-old man was then arrested on suspicion of the aforementioned violations, including driving under the influence, driving without a license and the warrant.
He was arrested at the SCV Sheriff’s Station in lieu of $7,000 bail and was due in court Monday, per Sheriff’s Department arrest records.
In a Facebook post about the incident, station officials reminded SCV residents: “For copies of a citation, please enter through the station’s front lobby, always open to the public.”
