SAUGUS : Residents Assist Deputies at Melee

Sheriff’s deputies from the Santa Clarita Valley station are crediting several Saugus residents with helping them detain and arrest four men who tried to flee the scene of an accident and got into a scuffle with deputies.

Deputies Doug Schoenborn and Ron McCabe went to the 22500 block of Pamplico Drive in Saugus at 8:30 p.m. Monday after neighbors called to report that an apparently drunk driver had crashed his vehicle into a parked car.

Deputies said the driver and his three passengers tried to flee on foot, but were detained by neighbors.

When the deputies arrived and attempted to arrest the men, the driver, Samuel Choy, 18, of Val Verde, allegedly starting kicking and swinging his arms at the officers. As the two deputies struggled with Choy, the three other men approached from behind. Then, several residents who had been watching intervened and a fight broke out, according to deputies.

Two residents received minor injuries. McCabe suffered a strained knee.

Choy complained of pain to one of his arms and was taken to Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital, where X-rays were taken. He was then taken to the Santa Clarita station where he was held on suspicion of drunk driving, battery and obstructing a peace officer.

Choy’s passengers, George Avina, 18; Gerald Ramirez, 18, and a 16-year-old juvenile, all of Saugus, were held on suspicion of battery and obstructing a peace officer.