Rohnert Park Man Tears Apart Starbucks, Assaults Police Officer

By Bay City News Service.

A Rohnert Park man was arrested after allegedly tearing apart a Starbucks and assaulting a police officer in Santa Rosa this morning.

Felony vandalism and battery of a police officer charges are pending against Jesse Stevens, 29. He was undergoing medical care Saturday.

The incident began when officers were called to the Starbucks near the intersection of Stony Point Road and Bellevue Ranch around 7:45 a.m., according to police.

Police learned that a man had entered the store a few hours earlier and had been "exhibiting bizarre behavior" before locking himself in the restroom and pounding on the walls and door.

At one point, the man allegedly tried to pull a Starbucks employee into the restroom with him. Police said an alert customer and workers evacuated the business and called police.

Meanwhile, the man left the restroom and began throwing furniture at store windows and emptied two cash register drawers onto the floor. When officers arrived on the scene, the suspect shattered the front door window glass and exited the store.

Upon seeing police, the man became combative and charged at an officer, police said. The man attacked the officer and swung a piece of patio furniture at him. He continued to fight with the officer until other officers arrived.

The suspect, identified as 29-year-old Jesse Stevens, received medical treatment at the scene and was taken by ambulance to a hospital to be treated for injuries to his head and arms, as well as cuts he suffered when breaking out the glass door.

The officer Stevens attacked suffered minor injuries and was treated at a hospital and released. Police said they would seek charges against Stevens of felony vandalism and battery on a police officer.

Anyone with more information about this case may contact Santa Rosa police at (707) 543-3590.

--Bay City News Service.