Drunken Circle K altercation, hit and runs, lead to Redding arrest

November 2, 2020 Trevor Montgomery

REDDING, Calif. — Authorities say a man who was pepper sprayed while attacking a Circle K clerk in Redding was later arrested after fleeing the scene and hitting at least two vehicles this morning, Monday, Nov. 2.

Although officials did not specify which Circle K the series of crimes began at, there are two Circle K convenience stores located along Hartnell Ave. nearest to where the first hit and run occurred.

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Officers from the Redding Police Department were dispatched to the 2400 block of Corona St. around 7:30 a.m., to investigate a series of reported hit and run collisions involving a suspected drunk driver, Redding Police Corporal Chris Mills reported this morning.

Once at the scene, officers contacted the suspected drunk driver, Michael Hernandez, 46, of Santa Rosa, in a 2004 burgundy Pontiac Grand Prix.

“Hernandez initially refused to comply with the commands of officers on scene, but ultimately surrendered without incident,” according to Mills.

After being pepper sprayed while assaulting a Redding Circle K clerk during a drunken altercation, Michael Hernandez fled the scene, hitting at least two vehicles. He was later arrested for DUI and other charges related to the incident. Redding PD photo

As their investigation was getting underway, officers learned that before the hit and run collisions, Hernandez had caused a violent disturbance at a Circle K gas station and convenience store, where he “struck an employee with items of property thrown inside the store,” according to Mills.

“The employee responded by pepper spraying Hernandez, who fled in his vehicle,” Mills described; while not specifying what led to the convenience store disturbance.

During their subsequent investigation, officers learned that after fleeing from the convenience store Hernandez collided with an occupied vehicle in the area of Hartnell and Victor avenues.

After fleeing the scene of that crash Hernandez allegedly ran into another vehicle, which had been parked in the 3900 block of Polaris St.

Officers eventually located Hernandez at a family member’s residence on Corona St., about two and a half miles from where the initial Circle K altercation occurred.

“Hernandez appeared intoxicated and was evaluated for driving under the influence,” said Mills.

He was eventually booked into Shasta County Jail in Redding on suspicion of battery, hit and run, and driving under the influence of drugs.

The Circle K clerk was not injured during the assault and no injuries were reported as a result of the collisions.

Anyone with further information regarding this investigation is encouraged to contact Redding PD at (530) 225-4200. Callers can refer to incident file number 20R072372 and can remain anonymous.

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Trevor Montgomery, 49, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, (the now defunct) Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and 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.

Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.

Trevor has been married for more than 30 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 18 grandchildren.