Dog sent to take down man who reached for replica gun

A Costa Mesa man had to be taken down by a police dog after he reached for a replica handgun, Costa Mesa police said Monday.

Police received a call about a suspicious man with a gun getting into a car Sunday afternoon near the 2200 block of Fairview Road. Officers responding to the call pulled over a vehicle fitting the description and found Manuel Lopez and Salvador Orantes Gomez, both 31 of Costa Mesa, inside, Sgt. Bob Ciszek said.

Gomez exited the car without any incident, but Lopez was less cooperative, Ciszek said.

Rather than following the officers’ commands to keep his hands above his head, Lopez allegedly went for what appeared to be a gun, which was tucked into his pants.

“At the distance they were at, you can’t tell the difference,” Ciszek said.

Officers sent a police dog after Lopez. The canine bit his arm and pulled him to ground, Ciszek said.

Lopez was treated for minor injuries, was booked in the Costa Mesa City Jail and was being held on $500 bail, police said.

— Kelly Strodl