Security officer assaulted by man armed with tree branch
Visalia CA June 20 2017 A Visalia man was arrested after he threw a tree branch at a security guard in downtown Visalia early Monday morning.
A security guard called police just after 4:30 a.m. after he unsuccessfully tried to remove a man from Garden Street Plaza.
When officers arrived, they made contact with Thomas Paul, 30 of Visalia. Officers believed Paul is homeless.
When the guard asked Paul to the leave the downtown area, the man got angry and threw the branch, police said. The branch hit the guard in the hand. Paul then threw a beer bottle and a rock at the guard, both missed.
Garden Street Plaza had been used Sunday evening during the summer SunDaze event, which runs through the summer and offers an outdoor venue for music, dancing and drinking.
It’s not known if the man was at that event prior to his arrest.
Paul was arrested and booked into Tulare County Pretrial Facility on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.
His bail has been set at $50,000.
Visalia times
