Skateboarding at Redondo Beach Pier, Resisting Arrest

At the Redondo Pier area, there is a skateboard park which is regularly used and enjoyed by many local skateboarding enthusiasts.  It closes at night.

One evening, at about 9:30 p.m., our client and about a dozen other skateboarders decided to hop the fence surrounding the park and enjoy it at night.  At night, there is limited lighting to the area of the park.

A business owner on the pier called the police to report the skateboarders and the Redondo Beach Police Department responded.  When the police arrived, the skateboarders ran away for the most part.

Our client, age 19, rode his skateboard away at high speed, through an area crowded with people walking to and from the nearby restaurants.  Within that area was a uniformed Redondo Beach Police Officer who warned our client to stop.

In response, our client only skateboarded faster, right at the police officer.  Apparently, our client expected the police officer to back away and let our client pass by at high speed. 

Instead, the police officer warned our client once again and then as our client attempted to pass the officer facing him, the officer stuck out his foot into the path of the oncoming skateboard, stopping the skateboard immediately and sending our client flying through the air. 

Our client landed on the concrete area nearby and rolled along the ground, only to come to a sudden stop as his body collided with a fire hydrant.  Our client was skinned up from the crash and bruised on his back from hitting the fire hydrant.  The officer immediately ran over to handcuff our client.

Our client was not taken to the hospital for medical care.  Instead, he was taken to the Redondo Beach Police Department, where he was booked and held, along with about five other skateboarders.  They were each booked on violation of Redondo Beach Municipal Code § 4-9.802(a), riding a skateboard in an unauthorized area of the Redondo Beach Fisherman’s Wharf.  Our client was also cited for obstructing, delaying or resisting arrest under Penal Code § 148(a)(1).

When the client was released from jail, he signed a promise to appear in the Torrance Superior Court for his arraignment about three months later. 

About a week later, he called Greg Hill & Associates and explained what had happened to him.  He was especially angry at the police officer for tripping him and causing him to roll into the unforgiving fire hydrant. 

The client asked how the case would be treated and Greg explained that he believed judicial diversion would be imposed.  Greg then explained how judicial diversion “worked” and that he believed the client may have terms that included perhaps 40 hours of community service over a six month period and an order to stay away from the Redondo Beach Pier during that time.  Greg further explained that when the client finished judicial diversion, the case will be dismissed under Penal Code § 1001.95, which meant the client could then petition the judge for an order to seal the arrest report and the court file.  This would mean the record of his arrest and the case filing would be deleted from his criminal history under Penal Code §§ 851.92 and 851.93.

The client then hired Greg Hill & Associates and Greg appeared at the arraignment on the client’s behalf under Penal Code § 977(a) in the Torrance Court.  The client was in class at El Camino College at the time, so he did not miss class for the case.

Greg reviewed the police report with the Redondo Beach City Prosecutor in the Torrance courthouse.  The police report included a photograph of the client’s bloodied, skinned up back from his officer-induced fall from his skateboard.

The Redondo Beach City Prosecutor seemed to understand that our client learned “with his blood” that skateboarding at the Redondo Pier outside the skatepark was prohibited and in the future, he needed to regard police commands with a higher sense of obedience (or the consequences could be physical).

Accordingly, she agreed to judicial diversion with six months to perform 30 hours of community service, stay away from the Redondo Pier and to pay a $100 court diversion fee.

The case was then called and Greg, with the Redondo Beach City Prosecutor, discussed judicial diversion with the judicial officer.  The judicial officer then placed our client on judicial diversion under the terms agreed to by Greg and the Redondo Beach City Prosecutor.

The client was relieved that the case would be dismissed and eligible for sealing in six months.

For more information about trespassing and resisting arrest, please click on the following articles: