Redding man arrested – again – after 8-minute brawl with four cops and a K-9, police say

A Redding man on Shasta County’s Most Wanted list was arrested over Memorial Day weekend after a protracted brawl with four officers and a K-9 – a near repeat of his arrest at the same location three months ago, police said in a news release.

It took officers more than eight minutes to subdue Dustin Clemens, 39, and take him into custody on Sunday, according to the release. One officer and the K-9, Otto, were injured in the altercation and were treated before returning to duty.

Officers responded around 7 p.m. Sunday to the 1100 block of Lake Boulevard after receiving reports of a person acting erratically, the release said. Upon arriving, they found the suspect, identified as Clemens, who immediately began fighting with them, police said.

When Clemens tried to grab two of the officers’ handguns, Otto’s handler entered the K-9 into the fray, the release said. Still, Clemens fought on for a total of more than eight minutes before the incident ended, authorities said.

Clemens is currently on probation for obstructing a peace officer by force, and had a felony warrant for his arrest, police said.

After the altercation with officers Sunday, the release said, Clemens was arrested on suspicion of obstructing a peace officer by force, battery on a peace officer and attempting to disarm a peace officer — marking the fifth time he’s been arrested this year.

In March, a naked Clemens was arrested by Redding police on Lake Boulevard after trying to fight multiple officers, police said in another news release. He also might have been intoxicated and appeared to be under the influence of a stimulant, according to police.

During that altercation, officers were “exposed to Clemens’ feces” and used batons and pepper spray to get him under control, police said. One officer was injured and taken to the hospital.

Clemens was booked into jail, but after his release failed to make court appearances in connection with his recent arrests, the release said.

Clemens’ also has a record of illegal firearm possession, domestic violence, vandalism and battery, police said.

He is in custody at the Shasta County jail.

This story was originally published May 30, 2019 at 10:21 AM.