Garden Grove man with goofy haircut charged with assaulting cops by shooting at them

Case # 18WF0400

Date: February 15, 2018

MAN CHARGED WITH ASSAULT ON PEACE OFFICERS FOR SHOOTING AT THEM FROM INSIDE PATROL CAR WITH UNLAWFULLY POSSESSED POLICE-ISSUED RIFLE

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A man was charged today with assault on peace officers for shooting at them from inside a patrol car with an unlawfully possessed police-issued rifle.

Defendant: Stephen Eric Matthews, 33, Garden Grove

Charged today with the following counts:

• Felony Charges
  • Assault with a firearm on a peace officer
  • Shooting from a motor vehicle
  • Discharging a firearm with gross negligence
  • Unlawful possession of a loaded firearm in public
  • Vandalism over $400
• Misdemeanor Charges
  • Resisting a peace officer
  • 10 years and four months in state prison

Arraignment: Feb. 16, 2018, 10:00 a.m. at Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana

Circumstances of the Case

• On Feb. 13, 2018, at approximately 9:30 p.m., Matthews was contacted by the Garden Grove Police Department (GGPD) and placed in the rear of a patrol car while awaiting medical aid.
• Approximately 10 minutes later, Matthews is accused of obtaining a GGPD rifle from inside the patrol car and pointing it at officers through the closed window. The officers took cover.
• The defendant is accused of firing a single round through the front windshield of the patrol car.
• Matthews is further accused of using the rear end of the rifle to smash the in-car computer.
• SWAT officers responded to the scene and the defendant surrendered hours later without further incident. No shots were fired by officers.

Prosecutor: Deputy District Attorney Jeffrey Kirk, Special Prosecutions Unit.