Man accused of battery on Santa Rosa police officer

A 25-year-old El Verano man was arrested Friday on suspicion of crashing his car into a traffic signal pole in Santa Rosa and committing battery on a police officer.

Bernabe Ramirez resisted arrest and tried twice to take an officer’s handgun from its holster, Santa Rosa police said in a press release. The unnamed officer sustained minor injuries in the scuffle but maintained control of his firearm, took Ramirez to the ground and handcuffed him.

Witnesses said Ramirez was driving his gray 2004 Dodge Intrepid at 45 to 50 mph south in the northbound lanes of Brookwood Avenue at about 12 p.m. At Second Street, the vehicle struck and knocked down a traffic signal pole on the northeast corner.

When police and emergency workers arrived, they found Ramirez inside the car with an adult female passenger and a 6-month-old child. An officer later observed that Ramirez appeared to be under the influence of drugs, police said. When the officer tried to handcuff Ramirez, he pulled away, spun around and reached for the officer’s handgun.

Officers arrested Ramirez on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs, child endangerment, resisting arrest, attempted removal of a police officer’s firearm and battery on an officer. He remains in the Sonoma County Jail without bail due to an alleged probation violation.