Ex-con battles deputy, police dog during Annapolis arrest

An Annapolis man who reportedly put up a fight with a Sonoma County sheriff’s deputy Monday afternoon repeatedly spit, threw rocks and threatened to kill the deputy and his family before he was subdued by the officer’s dog, authorities said.

But even then, the deputy had to hold down the suspect, Adam Gabriel Azbill, 27, for nearly 30 minutes before his first backup arrived in the form of a Cal Fire crew, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office reported.

Deputy Greg Myers was alone when he arrived at the rural mountain community in response to two citizen complaints about people drinking and driving on local roads, the Sheriff’s Office said.

He confronted one of the men, Azbill, who has several past felony convictions.

But rather than obey commands to get on the ground, Azbill approached the deputy with clenched fists and threatened to kill the police dog the deputy had on hand.

When Azbill finally got to the ground, he threatened Myers and his family, and threw a handful of rocks at him before beginning to stand up, authorities said.

The K-9, a dog named Colt, then bit Azbill as commanded, several times trying to get a grip, until the deputy handcuffed him, the Sheriff’s Office said. Azbill was trying to spit at Meyers as the deputy held him down awaiting the arrival of backup deputies or the sheriff’s helicopter. It was Cal Fire personnel who arrived first.

A state parks officer arrived about 20 minutes later, followed by a CHP officer, who helped put a spit mask and restraint cord on Azbill for transport by ambulance to Sutter Hospital in Santa Rosa, sheriff’s officials said.

Azbill was cleared by the hospital at about midnight and was booked into the Sonoma County Jail on suspicion of felony resisting arrest and violation of probation, the Sheriff’s Office said.

His bail was set at $10,000, jail personnel said.

You can reach Staff Writer Mary Callahan at 707-521-5249 or mary.callahan@pressdemocrat.com. ?On Twitter @MaryCallahanB.