Man suspected of throwing ammonia at police officers in Newport Beach charged with 10 felonies, 1 misdemeanor

SANTA ANA — A 43-year-old Newport Beach man was charged Tuesday with hurling ammonia at several Newport Beach police officers who responded to a domestic violence call.

Pedro Jesus Dominguez Mendez was charged with four counts of assault with caustic chemicals, five counts of assault with a weapon on a peace officer, and a count of resisting arrest, all felonies, as well as a misdemeanor count of domestic battery.

Mendez is accused of attacking five officers and a woman on Sunday. He pleaded not guilty in the jail courtroom in Santa Ana and was ordered to return to court for a pretrial hearing in the Harbor Justice Center on July 16.

The incident began with a number of 911 calls made to police around 2:45 p.m. Sunday from the 800 block of Amigos Way.

Responding officers were confronted by Mendez, who allegedly was uncooperative and armed with a knife. He allegedly then hurled ammonia at the officers, who responded by firing on Mendez but missed him, police said.

Mendez responded by retreating into his apartment. Police then called in the department’s crisis response team, which eventually talked Mendez into surrendering about two-and-a half hours later, the department said.

Three officers were treated for exposure to the ammonia; two were hospitalized but later released.