Police: 27-year-old Cottonwood man found with meth, cocaine in car punches officer, resists Taser during arrest

Raul Omar Esquer-Rodriguez, 27, of Cottonwood, arrested for possession of meth and cocaine. Suspect punches officer, resists Taser during arrest. (Cottonwood PD/Courtesy)

Raul Omar Esquer-Rodriguez, 27, of Cottonwood, arrested for possession of meth and cocaine. Suspect punches officer, resists Taser during arrest. (Cottonwood PD/Courtesy)

COTTONWOOD — A 27-year-old Cottonwood man was arrested on multiple charges after he allegedly attempted to intentionally collide with another vehicle on the road and later punched a police officer while resisting arrest, according to a news release.

Cottonwood Police Department officers took a report Sunday, Nov. 7, from a person being pursued by an erratic driver on Main Street who “intentionally tried to collide” with his vehicle.

“Officers searched the area where this reportedly took place and soon located the described vehicle in a bar parking lot on South Main Street,” Cottonwood PD spokesperson Sgt. Chad Sinn said in a statement Wednesday, Nov. 10.

Sinn said that when Cottonwood PD officers contacted the driver in the parking lot, he was the lone occupant in the vehicle.

“During this contact officers observed an open alcohol container in the vehicle,” Sinn said.

The driver, 27-year-old Raul Omar Esquer-Rodriguez of Cottonwood, was instructed by officers to exit the vehicle.

“He refused,” Sinn said in a statement, adding that one of the responding officers attempted to open the car door, but Esquer-Rodriguez pulled it shut.

“Officers attempted to remove Raul from the vehicle and he began fighting with officers, punching one officer in the face,” Sinn said in a statement.

At one point, an officer deployed his Taser in an attempt to subdue Esquer-Rodriguez so that officers could arrest him without causing further injury to himself, or other officers, but the suspect was able to remove the Taser probes and continue fighting.

“After a few moments officers were able to gain control of Raul and affected the arrest without further incident,” Sinn said.

During a search of the vehicle, Cottonwood PD located a usable amount of methamphetamine, cocaine and a large hunting knife.

Esquer-Rodriguez was booked into the Yavapai County Jail in Camp Verde on charges of possession of dangerous drugs (methamphetamine), possession of narcotic drug (cocaine), possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a deadly weapon during the commission of a felony, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest and possession of an open container in a motor vehicle.

Esquer-Rodriguez remains in custody on two $2,500 bonds.

Follow Brian M. Bergner Jr. on Twitter and Facebook at @52MediaWorks. Email him at bbergner@verdenews.com, or call 928-634-2241, ext. 6033.


Donate Report a Typo Contact
Most Read
Event Calendar
Event Calendar link
Submit Event