San Andreas, CA…On Sunday, December 15, 2024, at about 10:10 AM, deputies were dispatched to the 600 block of Paloma Road in Valley Springs, CA, regarding a report of a suspect tampering with security cameras while trespassing. Upon arrival, deputies were directed to a remote location on the property where the suspect had erected a tent and was in the process of establishing a camping site. While checking the immediate area, the deputy located the suspect, Rick Hopson, age 52, of Jackson, CA.

Upon contact, the suspect became loud and uncooperative and refused to comply with the deputy. After several minutes of attempted communication and de-escalation techniques, the suspect began to walk away. The deputy followed and continued to attempt communication with the suspect. After a short distance, the suspect picked up a large tree branch (about 3 -4 inches in diameter and over 4 feet long), took a fighting posture, and began aggressively advancing toward the deputy.

The deputy deployed his Taser and warned the suspect he would be tased if he continued toward the deputy. The suspect advanced toward the deputy, prompting the deputy to deploy his taser. The use of the taser was successful in stopping the suspect from advancing toward the deputy. The suspect then fled from the deputy, who pursued him for approximately half a mile until additional deputies arrived to assist.

The suspect armed himself with a second tree branch and continued to evade deputies until reaching the baseball field parking area on Paloma Road. At that point, another responding deputy intercepted him and stopped him from moving closer to town. A deputy deployed less-lethal impact rounds, striking the suspect. This device fires a rigid foam or sponge projectile to apply kinetic energy from a safer distance. The impact round had little effect on the suspect. The suspect continued his efforts to evade and hit the deputies with the branch. The deputies continued their commands while the suspect swung the branches at them. After multiple attempts to employ less-lethal tools, the deputies successfully closed the distance to the suspect and placed him on the ground. The suspect continued to resist the deputies as he was put into handcuffs.

Two deputies sustained injuries during the struggle to apprehend suspect Hopson. One deputy suffered a significant injury when the suspect struck him with one of the tree branches, while the other sustained a fracture to an extremity. The suspect was transported to a local hospital for medical treatment of minor injuries and medical clearance. He was then booked into the county jail, where he was charged with assault with a deadly weapon (felony), battery on a peace officer with injury (felony), obstructing and resisting arrest (felony), and trespassing. The injured deputies received medical treatment and were released.

This event serves as a valuable reminder that there are no routine calls for service for our deputies. Even a trespassing report can become a significant incident with lasting effects.