Newport Beach man pleads not guilty to 11 counts in confrontation that led to officer-involved shooting

A man pleaded not guilty Tuesday to 11 counts, including 10 felonies, related to allegations of throwing ammonia at police officers and brandishing a knife while resisting arrest in Newport Beach, according to police and court records. The confrontation resulted in police shooting at the man, though not hitting him.

Pedro Jesus DominguezMendez, 43, of Newport Beach pleaded not guilty to four felony counts of assault with a caustic chemical, five felony counts of assaulting a police officer with a weapon other than a firearm, one felony count of resisting an executive officer and one misdemeanor count of battery, court records show.

Newport Beach officers received a call about a possible domestic dispute just after 2:45 p.m. Sunday at an apartment complex in the 800 block of Amigos Way, police said.

They encountered a man, who was later identified as DominguezMendez, armed with a knife, police said. According to authorities, he was “uncooperative and assaulted multiple officers by throwing a chemical substance at them.” An officer fired at him, but he was not hit and he retreated into his apartment, police said.

Police identified the chemical as ammonia that was in a large unsealed container, police Lt. Tom Fischbacher said.

Newport Beach police SWAT officers were called to negotiate, and at 5:13 p.m., DominguezMendez surrendered and was taken into custody, police said.

The Newport Beach Fire Department treated three officers for exposure to ammonia. Two were taken to a hospital for additional medical attention and were released soon after, Fischbacher said.

DominguezMendez was booked at the Theo Lacy jail in Orange with bail set at $300,000, jail records show. His next scheduled court date is Tuesday.

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