Willows police 'dry-taze' Maxwell man

Willows police officers used Taser-force Saturday to subdue a Maxwell man for allegedly resisting arrest and assaulting police.

Luis Edgar Flores, 20, was booked into Glenn Count Jail on suspicion of resisting arrest with violence, assault on a peace officer, and assault with great bodily injury.

Officer Kelly Meek sustained a hand injury Saturday after Flores allegedly assaulted her during his arrest. Meek did not require medical attention, according to Willows Police Sgt. Jason Dahl.

Dahl said police were dispatched to the 1300 block of West Sycamore Street after Officer John Meek, who is married to the other Officer Meek, reported a physical altercation just before 2 a.m., involving Flores and an unknown white male about 18-years-old.

It was not known how or why the fight started, Dahl said.

Officers questioned several witnesses, but Flores refused to comply with police directions, according to a statement from Willows Police Chief Bill Spears.

“Flores attempted to strike and kick officers as he was being detained. Officer J. Meek deployed his Taser and “drive-stunned” Flores while he was assaulting officers,” Spears said in the prepared statement.

Dahl said “drive-stunned” is a police term that means a Taser was held against a suspect’s body without firing the projectiles. Also known as a “dry-tase,” electricity is pumped into the target, usually on their torso, which causes significant pain without permanent injury.

“It’s known as a ‘pain-compliance technique’,” Spears said Monday. “It’s used to deter resistance and is a tremendous asset that keeps situations from getting to the point where we might have to use deadly force.”

Spears said Meek’s use of the taser was “absolutely correct.”

Meek became a full time Willows cop just two weeks ago, but spent more than 15 years as a Tehama County Sheriff’s Sergeant.

Dahl said Taser force is not commonly used by Willows Police and was last used about three months ago. An exact date was not available.

Flores was still in custody Tuesday. His bail was set at $102,000, but probation violations in Colusa and Shasta counties make him ineligible for release, according to Willows Police.