A Drugged Suspect Assaults 3 Deputies, Bites One In San Diego

San Diego, CA, 23 April, 2017 - Three San Diego County Sheriff‘s deputies are recovering after an apparently drugged man assaulted them and bit one on Sunday morning in Vista.

The man ingested drugs or alcohol to celebrate his 30th birthday.

At 4 a.m. the Vista Sheriff’s Station received a call about a disturbance at the 7-Eleven Convenience store located at the 800 block of East Vista Way and Vale Terrace.

The man identified as Clasey Clason, age 30, walked into the store and emptied a two-liter bottle of soda on his head.

Then he threw the empty bottle at a store window before walking out, said deputies.

“Deputies responded and contacted Clason in the parking lot of a nearby church with his arms wrapped around a flag pole,” said Capt. Charles Cinnamo.

They noticed his face was covered in blood but could not discern the cause.

Clason was suspected of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol because of the store clerk's account of his behavior, and clearly presented a threat to the safety of others and himself, said deputies.

The man immediately became violent when deputies attempted to detain him.

He tried kicking the deputies while he was lying on his back.

A Taser and pepper spray was used multiple times without effect. When a deputy tried to place Clason in handcuffs, the suspect grabbed his leg and began to bite him.

Deputies struggled with Clason in an attempt to make him release his bite on the deputy.

Several deputies responded and they were eventually able to take Clason into custody, Cinnamo said

“Three deputies were treated for injuries to their extremities but are expected to recover,” Cinnamo said.

Clason was taken to Tri-City Medical Center where he was treated for minor injuries before being booked into the Vista Detention Facility, according to deputies.

He faces two counts of felony assault on a deputy, being under the influence and violating the terms of his probation, said deputies.

He was scheduled to be arraigned in Vista Superior Court Tuesday.