A welfare check by police of a man at the Chevron Extra Mile Station on Railroad Avenue on Monday afternoon turned into a wrestling match, according to police reports.
Employees at the station said they noticed a large man leaning against the glass outside the gas station, said Sgt. Ron Bradley of the Danville Police Department. When Officer Julie Parish arrived at the scene she recognized him as someone who had been arrested before for public drunkenness. Darin Blevins, 28, of Danville admitted to Parish that he had been drinking, even though it was against his probation to drink alcohol, according to the report.
When Blevins, who weighs about 270 pounds, could not stand up, Parish and another officer tried to help him but, according to the police report, he had their arms pinned between him and the glass window, and a wrestling match ensued. Blevins was eventually handcuffed and, due to a bloody nose and intoxicated state, he was taken to San Ramon Regional Medical Center, police said.
Bradley said that witness accounts alleging excessive force, which were reported in another publication, were inaccurate. “No one hit him in the face,” said Bradley. He also noted that the two witnesses have not contacted the police. “If they believe they saw something inappropriate they need to contact a sergeant or the Police Department and make a statement. We definitely police our own,” said Bradley.
Blevins was arrested at the scene for public drunkenness and for assaulting a police officer. Parish sustained some bruising and cuts to the hand when attempting to handcuff him.
