Police arrest man near fallen officer’s memorial

A Mission Viejo man has been arrested on suspicion of public intoxication after an outburst near a makeshift memorial for a Laguna Beach police officer who died on the job earlier this year, police said.

Kevin Andrew Davidson, 42, allegedly threw an American flag into the street and kicked containers of flowers dedicated to Jon Coutchie at Cleo Street and South Coast Highway at 3:44 p.m. Dec. 24, Laguna Police Capt. Jason Kravetz wrote in an email.

Citizens began cleaning up the mess when officers arrived, Kravetz said.

Bystanders pointed toward Davidson, and police took him into custody in the 700 block of South Coast Highway, Kravetz said.

Police have requested that the Orange County district attorney’s office review the incident for possible vandalism charges, however, the suspect was not arrested on suspicion of vandalism at the time, Kravetz said.

Mourners set up a memorial on the sidewalk soon after Coutchie’s Sept. 21 death. The 41-year-old officer was on his way to assist another officer when he struck a pickup truck turning left onto Cleo.

Coutchie, who was with Laguna Beach police for four years, died at the scene.

Stu News Laguna first reported the story.

— Bryce Alderton

Twitter: @AldertonBryce