Officer-Assault Suspect a No-Show

An Irvine man accused of assaulting a Newport Beach police officer failed to appear at a probation hearing in Riverside County last week in an unrelated case and may be a fugitive, authorities said.

Newport Beach police said Jeffrey Wayne Minor, 30, may be in hiding and might try to duck a scheduled court appearance in Orange County this week.

Authorities said Minor has a history of alcohol-related offenses.

“He’s dangerous when he starts drinking,” Newport Beach Police Sgt. Mike McDermott said. “From all indications, he continues on a path of self-destruction. It’s very easy for him to take somebody with him.”

Police said Minor may be hiding in Riverside County, where he has friends and relatives, or may try to leave the country.

“He may be going to Mexico,” McDermott said. “But we think it’s still likely that he’s in Riverside. He has no support sources in Mexico.”

Minor failed to appear at a hearing in Riverside last week in connection with a 1993 vehicular manslaughter conviction.

Minor’s father, Wayne M. Minor of Riverside County, said Monday that he hopes his son will turn himself in.

“We want him to do the right thing,” the elder Minor said. “We’re concerned. We want him to go to court and be responsible for his actions.”

Wayne Minor said his son may be distraught over a recent divorce from his wife of eight years. She recently moved to Utah, he said, taking the couple’s two children, ages 4 years and six months.

Jeffrey Minor is scheduled to appear Thursday at Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon on a Newport Beach police officer.

The incident happened Dec. 20 when Officer Kristen O’Donnell stopped Minor on suspicion of drunk driving. Minor sped away, dragging O’Donnell 77 feet as she clung to the car, police said. She suffered minor injuries but has returned to patrol duty.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Mark Geller, who is prosecuting the case, said he is not optimistic that Minor will appear Thursday.

“Having this guy out of custody poses a grave danger to any community he’s residing in. It only gets worse for him if he doesn’t show up,” he said.

Minor’s attorney, John D. Barnett, would not say when he last spoke with his client.

“Clients decide to appear in court or not to appear,” he said. “The truth of the matter, though, is that matters won’t be resolved until he appears.”