Man Allegedly Assaults Oceanside Officer, Barricades Self in Laundry Room: Police

OCEANSIDE, CA — A man who reportedly barricaded himself inside the laundry room of an Oceanside apartment complex Tuesday after allegedly attacking Oceanside police officers and trying to take one of their stun guns was behind bars Wednesday.

Oceanside police Spokesman Ryan Keim said officers initially contacted the man, Christopher Barrios, 34, of Los Angeles, at about 2:25 p.m. Tuesday in the 100 block of The South Strand — near a park just south of the Oceanside Pier — when he was allegedly seen tampering with city electrical equipment.

"Barrios provided the officers with false identifying information," Keim said. "Without warning Barrios attacked the officers and attempted to take one of the officers' Tasers. After a brief struggle, Barrios fled from the officers and ran to the 100 block of S. Myers Street where he barricaded himself inside the laundry room of an apartment complex."

Keim said the San Diego Sheriff Department's helicopter arrived to assist, and pepper balls were deployed in an attempt to remove Barrios from the laundry room. After a standoff that lasted about an hour, Barrios surrendered on his own and was taken into custody, according to the spokesman.

Police took Barrios to Tri-City Medical Center in Oceanside for treatment of minor injuries before he was booked into the Vista Detention Facility on suspicion of felony assault on an officer, taking a non-firearm from an officer, resisting/obstructing arrest and providing false identification to a peace officer.

The officer suffered minor injuries during the alleged assault but did not require emergency medical treatment, according to Keim.

As of Wednesday, Barrios was being held in lieu of $20,000 bail and was scheduled to be arraigned at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, jail records showed. He was also being held on a possible warrant out for his arrest from another law enforcement agency.

— City News Service contributed to this report.

(Patch file photo/Maggie Avants)