Suspected drug dealer arrested after fight with Sonoma County sheriff’s deputies, authorities say

A Santa Rosa man suspected of selling methamphetamine was arrested over the weekend after a fight with Sonoma County sheriff’s deputies, authorities said.

A deputy pulled the man over around 3:30 a.m. on Sunday because of his car’s “excessively loud” exhaust system on Mountain View Avenue, just south of Santa Rosa, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post.

The deputy recognized the man, 46-year-old Michael Greene, because of his prior arrests in Sonoma County, which included gun- and drug-related charges, according to Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Misti Wood. Greene had an arrest warrant for violating his post-release community supervision.

Greene gave the deputy a false name and identification and when asked to get out of the car he sped off, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Greene then crashed into a ditch on Hunter Lane and ran away.

Deputies chased Greene through a field as he began “throwing items out of his pockets and keeping his hand near the front of his waistband,” the Sheriff’s Office said.

A deputy warned Greene he would use a Taser if Greene didn’t stop fleeing, the Sheriff’s Office said. The deputy then used a Taser twice on Greene, but it was unsuccessful in stopping him, authorities said.

“Greene physically resisted deputies when they tried to take him into custody, resulting in a fight,” the Sheriff’s Office said.

Five deputies were involved in the incident when the fight started, according to Wood.

"They put their hands on him and he started to resist,“ Wood said. ”He was pushing back with his body and he was hiding his arms so they couldn’t handcuff him and get him into custody safely.“

Deputies brought Greene to the ground before handcuffing him.

Two deputies had minor injuries after the fight. Greene was evaluated by paramedics at the scene but he did not need treatment at a hospital, Wood said.

Deputies found more than 3.5 ounces of methamphetamine on Greene and in the field, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Greene was booked into Sonoma County Jail on charges of felony resisting arrest, felony possession of drugs for sale, felony transporting drugs, felony use of another person’s ID, misdemeanor resisting arrest and misdemeanor presenting false ID to police. His bail was set at $100,000.

Investigators later searched a Santa Rosa hotel room that had been reserved under the false name Greene gave to deputies. They found James Merritt, 32, of Clearlake in the room carrying a stolen, loaded pistol.

Merritt was arrested on three felony charges: felon in possession of ammunition, illegal possession of a gun and possession of drugs and a loaded gun. He was booked into Sonoma County Jail and released on $30,000 bail.

You can reach Staff Writer Matt Pera at matthew.pera@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @Matt__Pera.