The ex-wife of a man at the center of a hostile confrontation involving a San Diego County Sheriff's (SDSO) Deputy in Vista said he is mentally ill.
Casey Clason, 30, was arrested Sunday, but not before biting one of the deputies.
Clason's ex-wife Adriana told NBC 7 Monday, it's clear from the surveillance video inside a convenience store in Vista, that Clason was not in his right state of mind.
“He's mentally ill. He was diagnosed with schizophrenia five years ago," she said.
Adriana also told NBC 7 Clason suffers from PTSD after serving in the military.
The video shows Clason pouring a bottle of soda over his head, walking through the door, then being confronted by deputies outside a short time later.
Adriana said have been an issue for Casey in the past, but she did not know if they played in this incident. She questioned the amount of force used to get him under control.
Local
“It's pretty brutal. I don't know if it required that many policemen for a soda spill," she said.
A video taken during a confrontation with deputies appeared to show Clason kicking at them. The deputies used pepper spray and a taser, but nothing worked to get Clason to cooperate, SDSO said.
At one point, Clason grabbed one of the deputies and bit him in the leg, making him fall to the ground.
SDSO said more back-up was then called in.
Still, Adriana told NBC 7, deputies have dealt with Clason several times before and they know his story.
“Maybe this will shed some light on veterans that all they need is help," she added.
Clason will be in court for his arraignment Tuesday.
Deputies with the Sheriff's Department told NBC 7, with every use of force incident, they will be reviewing it internally to make sure it falls within the policy.
