Dramatic Scene Unfolds as Police Raid Home Near Marinwood

By Bay City News Service:

Marin County Sheriff’s Office deputies took a Marinwood man wanted on outstanding drug warrants into custody this weekend following what appears to have been his second police standoff in the past month.

Deputies were called to a home at 2240 Las Gallinas Avenue in the unincorporated Marinwood area north of San Rafael at 10:15 a.m. Saturday on a report that a wanted subject, Sero Kupelian, 28, was inside.

Kupelian was thought to be hiding from law enforcement due to several outstanding warrants on charges of possession and sales of illegal drugs and resisting arrest, officials said.

He had allegedly previously barricaded himself inside a home in San Rafael around three weeks earlier.

When deputies arrived at the house Kupelian’s family and girlfriend told them he was under the influence of alcohol or drugs and would resist attempts to arrest him. His girlfriend told them that in a phone conversation with her he had said he had no intention of going back to jail and things were “about to get crazy.”

Kupelian refused to answer phone calls from law enforcement and could be heard screaming inside the house, closing window blinds and making noises like he might be barricading doors and other entrances, officials said.

Deputies entered with a San Rafael police dog and found Kupelian in the living room with a knife to his throat, saying “Go ahead and shoot me! Kill me!” according to the sheriff’s office.

A deputy was able to knock the knife out of Kupelian’s hand with a less-than-lethal bean bag round, however, and deputies then took him into custody.

Kupelian was booked into Marin County Jail on the warrants and arrested on suspicion of additional charges of resisting arrest, possession of drug paraphernalia and violation of his probation.

(Image via Shutterstock)