An armed man sprayed three San Diego County Sheriff's Department deputies with "bear spray" and stabbed a deputy K-9 in the head Tuesday morning in Jamul.
Deputies were called at around 10 a.m. to check on the man who was reportedly walking around a vehicle on the 15000 block of Skyline Truck Trail and talking to himself.
When deputies arrived the man, later identified as 29-year-old Richard Lechuga of San Diego, was inside of a vehicle.
The SDSO said Lechuga sprayed three deputies with bear spray, a pepper spray-like bear deterrent, through an open car window as they approached.
A deputy K-9 was then deployed after Lechuga allegedly brandished a knife and what appeared to be a handgun, deputies say. While engaged with the K-9, Lechuga stabbed it in the head and face.
Deputies turned to less-than-lethal force options to take Lechuga into custody, including non-lethal shotgun rounds, pepper balls, and Tasers.
The K-9 was taken to a nearby veterinarian with non life-threatening injuries and the deputies affected by the bear spray were treated at the scene by responding medics, the SDSO said.
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Lechuga was taken to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries. He faces charges including felony assault with a deadly weapon on an officer, assaulting a police animal, and resisting arrest.
The handgun deputies thought Lechuga might have was actually a pellet gun, according to the SDSO.
Anyone with information regarding the incident can submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
No other information was available.
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