Napa Police Officer Injured in Arrest at Jack-In-The-Box

 A Napa Police officer was injured Tuesday while arresting a 26-year-old Napa-area transient who allegedly was brandishing a knife at Jack-in-the-Box in south Napa.

Abram Yancey Norris was taken into custody at about 8:30 p.m. at the restaurant at 850  W. Imola Avenue on suspicion of exhibiting a deadly weapon and obstruction and resisting arrest.

According to the Napa Police log, officers were dispatched to a call of a subject with a knife at the Jack-in-the-Box.
 
 Dispatch advised that a subject had pulled a knife on someone outside of the store and was now inside of the store. The subject was described as a very tall male with blond short hair last seen wearing a green sweatshirt.

Dispatch advised the reporting party stated the subject may be deaf. An officer recognized the description as matching that of a subject he knew through prior contacts to be Norris. The officer knew that Norris had an outstanding warrant for 245 PC - Assault with a deadly weapon.

As the officer arrived on scene, he could see movement through the windows on the east side of the building. A woman exited the store and the officer noticed she was crying and appeared extremely scared, police said.

Behind her was Norris, police said. Norris matched the description provided by dispatch. The officer asked the female if Norris was the subject with the knife and she told him Norris was, police said.

The officer drew his pistol and opened the door to the business. Upon opening the door, Norris was standing approximately five feet from the officer.

The officer pointed his gun at Norris and pointed at the ground. While doing so he told Norris multiple times to get on the ground. Norris did not comply and only squatted, police said.

While doing this, Norris pointed at the bathroom inside of Jack-in-the-Box and said “knife.” The officer continued to point towards the ground and continued telling Norris to get on the ground.

At that time, the officer observed Norris discard a knife onto the floor. The officer continued to hold  Norris at gunpoint and give him commands to get on the ground. He also continued pointing at the ground.

Norris backed away from the officer and went to the south end of the dining area inside the restaurant. The officer approached Norris and continued pointing at the ground and telling him to get on the ground.

Norris then grabbed a woman and placed her in front of him. Due to the fact the officer did not know if Norris had access to other weapons or if he intended to take the woman hostage, he  continued to hold Norris at gunpoint.

As the officer approached Norris, he was still holding the woman. The officer holstered his pistol and attempted to grab control of  Norris by grabbing his left hand and arm. Upon grabbing Norris's left hand, he pulled away and began to tense his muscles.

The officer could immediately tell that due to Norris's size and the fact that he was extremely strong, he had to attempt another way to restrain and detain him.

Due to Norris being 6`8", 260 pounds and the fact the officer was 6`3" 180 pounds; the officer applied a carotid restraint. Upon doing so, Norris continued to resist violently by pulling from side to side.

The officer then asked for his cover units to expedite their response to the scene. The officer used his weight and fell backwards onto his back in order to wrap his legs around Norris to restrain him.

Upon falling onto his back, the officer wrapped his legs around Norris's lower body to keep him from flailing. He continued to apply pressure using the carotid, police said.

The officer noticed it had little to no effect, and Norris continued to resist. Moments later, three additional officers arrived to assist in taking Norris into custody, police said.

After a continuous struggle with the officers, Norris was taken into custody.

Officers learned that, prior to their arrival, Norris had gotten into an argument with an acquaintance and pulled a knife on the acquaintance while in Jack-in-the-Box, police said.

It was at this time that employees called the police and the original officer arrived shortly thereafter. 

Norris was booked into Napa County Department of Corrections. The original officer sustained an injury and was treated and Queen of the Valley Medical Center.