First responders attacked with bricks & rocks during Redding medical aid call

REDDING — Facing cinder blocks, rocks, and other weapons, emergency personnel found themselves under attack Wednesday evening, July 18, when they responded to reports of a female suffering from a medical crisis.

The violent incident that left an ambulance with a shattered windshield happened at Clear Creek Grocery & Market on State Route 273 and Westside Road in Redding.

Officials later determined the woman, identified as Violeta Gallegos, 35, of Redding, had multiple warrants for her arrest for fighting with police officers, narcotics related offenses, failures to appear in court, and other various charges.

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The incident began shortly before 9:30 p.m. when SHASCOM received a report of a unresponsive female at the location.

When Redding firefighters and an ambulance crew arrived on scene to evaluate the woman and provide medical aid if needed, the suspect “became combative and threw a cinder block at an Emergency Medical Technician,” Redding Police Corporal Jeff Schmidt explained the day after the violent incident.

The EMT narrowly managed to avoid being hit by the flying cinder block, which smashed into an ambulance and broke into pieces. “Gallegos then began throwing rocks at emergency personnel,” said Schmidt.

Based on the circumstances, firefighters and medical personnel at the scene put out a priority request for law enforcement assistance, at which time officers raced to the scene to assist in calming and apprehending the violent woman.

When officers arrived and attempted to confront Gallegos, she “armed herself with a window washing squeegee,” which she first threatened officers with and then threw at the approaching officials, according to Schmidt.

“Gallegos then attempted to evade officers by running around the gas pumps and then fled on foot across HWY 273,” Schmidt explained, saying officers eventually used Tasers and batons to subdue the violent woman and take her into custody.

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During their subsequent investigation officers learned Gallegos had four warrants for her arrest and arrested the woman for her warrants as well as for her attack on first responders that evening.

Gallegos was transported to an area hospital for medical treatment and then booked into the Shasta County Jail for assault with a deadly weapon; resisting, delaying, obstructing a police officer/EMT; and vandalism, according to Schmidt.

Officials did not specify what may have led to the violent confrontation but no emergency first responders were injured during the incident and woman’s arrest.

Anyone with information related to this investigation or who witnessed the incident is encouraged to contact Redding Police Corporal Jeff Schmidt at (530) 225-4200. Callers can refer to incident file number 18-51490 and can remain anonymous.

 

Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 47, recently moved to Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for several other news organizations, including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, The Valley Chronicle and Anza Valley Outlook, as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and The Mountain Echo in Shasta County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with other locations.