Man claiming to be Lucifer and God triggers five-hour police standoff in Clearlake

A man claiming to be both Lucifer and God triggered a tense, five-hour-long standoff with law enforcement at a Clearlake home late Wednesday night before being apprehended as he climbed out a window with a mouthful of glass.

Michael Jacob, 27, of Grass Valley was being held at St. Helena Hospital for medical and mental health observation, according to Clearlake Police Department officials.

The incident began with a 9:16 p.m. phone call to the Police Department.

Jacob told the dispatcher he was Lucifer and God and that it was “time to go” and that he was going to take people with him, according to police. The dispatcher told officers it sounded as though Jacob was on drugs, an assessment with which officers later concurred. But only marijuana had been found in his system so far, Clearlake Police Lt. Tim Celli said. He said there also was evidence of a marijuana operation at the home.

Police officers initially launched a welfare check at the Manchester Street residence, but the situation escalated when Jacob - initially in a fenced, locked backyard - said he had guns and threatened to kill neighbors and himself, police said. He also claimed there were other people in the residence, they added, but there were not.

Jacob entered the home, despite an attempt to stop him with a Taser gun, police officials said. Once inside, he screamed, broke out windows, threw rocks at officers, started a chainsaw and placed a rifle near one of the broken windows, officials said. The firearm later turned out to be a pellet gun designed to look like a high-powered rifle.

With negotiating efforts having failed and the appearance of a firearm, police officers called for assistance from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office SWAT forces.

Officers continued to try negotiating with Jacob, who periodically walked by and sat near the rifle, police said. Jacob stopped making threats, but adjacent homes were evacuated as a precaution, police said.

At about 2 a.m., Jacob finally surrendered. He climbed out the front window and placed broken shards of glass in his mouth before being taken into custody, police said.

Once released from medical observation, Jacob is expected to be booked on suspicion of several felony charges, including assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer, brandishing a replica firearm, resisting arrest and threatening law enforcement, according to police.

You can reach Staff Writer Glenda Anderson at 462-6473 or glenda.anderson @pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @MendoReporter.