Man Charged With Misdemeanor In CV Deputy Involved Shooting

CASTRO VALLEY, CA — A man was arraigned on Monday on misdemeanor charges of resisting arrest and public intoxication in connection with an incident in Castro Valley on Thursday night in which an Alameda County sheriff's deputy fired a shot at him after a disturbance at a McDonald's restaurant.

Arthur Richardson, 37, a warehouse temp worker is being held at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin in lieu of $5,000 bail.

Sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Ray Kelly said deputies responded to the McDonald's at 1620 Strobridge Ave. near Castro Valley Boulevard at about 8:40 p.m. on Thursday after a customer reported that a man later identified as Richardson was "acting bizarre" and was threatening customers while wearing a Halloween mask by telling them, "I got something."

Before the deputies arrived Richardson went to the McDonald's parking lot and blocked vehicles in the restaurant's drive-through lane, according to Kelly.

The first deputy to arrive at the scene saw Richardson as he was walking across the street to the 76 gas station at 2445 Castro Valley Blvd., Kelly said.

At that point Richardson's mask was turned backwards and was hanging around his neck, according to Kelly.

The deputy ordered Richardson to show his hands but he didn't comply and instead reached toward a large bulge under his sweatshirt and told the deputy, "I got something for you," Kelly said.

Richardson's hand wasn't visible to the deputy so the deputy fired one round toward Richardson because he believed Richardson was attempting to draw a firearm and he feared for his safety, according to Kelly.

The shot didn't strike Richardson but he then laid on the ground and was handcuffed by deputies without incident, Kelly said.

It turned out that Richardson didn't have a weapon and that the bulge under his sweatshirt was some personal items, including food from the McDonald's, according to Kelly.

Richardson appeared to be heavily intoxicated, Kelly said.

The deputy who fired at Richardson has been placed on paid administrative leave while the shooting is investigated, according to Kelly.

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— Bay City News; Image via Shutterstock