Man charged with assaulting police

Greg Risling

NEWPORT BEACH -- A 45-year-old man who threw out everything but the

kitchen sink in a bizarre weekend incident was charged Monday with one

count of assault with a deadly weapon for allegedly attacking police

officers.

Police responded to the man’s Balboa Island home twice early Sunday after

he caused a loud disturbance that woke neighbors. Richard Vandagriff was

taken to a hospital for psychiatric evaluation but was cleared on Monday.

He was charged with one county of assault with a deadly weapon and held

in Orange County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail.

The bizarre encounter began around 1 a.m. when there were reports that

Vandagriff was outside his home on the 100 block of Onyx Avenue talking

to himself. Police officers learned Vandagriff lived with his mother, who

had left the home earlier that night because he was acting strangely.

Police spoke with him and told him to go inside his home. He calmed down

and the officers left.

Officers returned to the home nearly two hours later, after dispatchers

received a call from Vandagriff, who thought his house had been

surrounded by “gang members from UCI,” police said.

When officers approached the house, they saw him inside screaming and

waving a metal pole over his head. Police also noticed he was bleeding

from self-inflicted cuts from glass and a some garden tools.

Police said once officers contacted him, he began throwing different

items at them. He rummaged through his home and found several blankets,

which he put in a pile and set on fire. Police are uncertain what caused

Vandagriff’s actions.

“His mother was obviously afraid enough for her to leave,” said Newport

Beach police Sgt. Mike McDermott. “He was making a lot of noise and

throwing a bunch of stuff for reasons unknown to us.”

While officers were trying to extinguish the fire, the man climbed onto

his rooftop and began throwing metal pipes, knives and patio furniture

down below, police said. One of the objects came crashing through a

neighbor’s window, slightly injuring the resident.

When the suspect refused to cooperate with police officers, members of

the SWAT and hostage negotiation teams were called to assist. Eventually,

officers distracted Vandagriff by using grenades that produce a flash of

light. Officers managed to reach the suspect on the building’s rooftop

sun deck and took him into custody.

Pending further investigation, Vandagriff may face an additional charge

of allegedly assaulting his neighbor, police said.