The man who was suspected of being involved in a poisoning incident on Tuesday evening has been arrested on suspicion of willful poisoning after barricading himself inside a Saugus home, according to a news release sent to The Signal by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Station Sheriff’s Information Bureau.
Deputies from the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station resolved a barricaded suspect situation involving a poisoning investigation at the 28000 block of Cedar Ridge Court, according to the release.
The incident began at approximately 10 a.m. on Tuesday when deputies responded to the residence on the 28000 block of Cedar Ridge Court regarding a wanted suspect who returned to the property, the release said.
Upon arrival, deputies attempted to make contact with the 42-year-old man at the front door of the residence; however, the suspect retreated inside and refused to exit, leading to a containment of the immediate area, according to the release.
During the initial assessment of the scene, deputies were informed by family members that the man suffers from a mental health disability, the release said. Recognizing the need for specialized communication and de-escalation techniques, the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department Mental Evaluation Team was notified and responded to the location to assist patrol deputies, the release said.
The Mental Evaluation Team, which consists of a deputy and a licensed mental health clinician, worked in conjunction with on-scene supervisors to establish a rapport with the suspect, according to the release. After approximately two hours of continuous negotiations and the application of crisis intervention strategies, the man exited the residence voluntarily and was detained without further incident or the use of force, according to the release.
The release added that, following the detention, investigators obtained and executed a search warrant for the residence. During the search, deputies recovered physical evidence related to the initial poisoning allegations, the release said.
The suspect was placed under arrest on suspicion of willful poisoning of food, drink, medicine, or water with the intent to cause injury, according to the release.
The release stated that the investigation remains ongoing, and there is no additional information at this time.
