Ronald Williams, a 35-year-old tattoo and art instructor traded nude pictures and forced a teenage girl to give him oral sex twice on August 30, 2013. Irvine police investigated the sexual assault case by interviewing his 15-year-old victim. The girl also told detectives that Williams kept a revolver in a Hello Kitty CD case in his car.
On the morning of September 3, 2013, Irvine police scoped out Williams' apartment, hoping to arrest him for sexual assault. They also prepared themselves for a possible shoot out.
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According to an Orange County District Attorney's (OCDA) report issued this week, detectives positioned themselves for surveillance. Because of Williams' prior gun-related convictions, detective Steve Grange armed himself with an AR-15 rifle. Three hours later, Williams parked his white Hyundai with a woman in the passenger side seat.
Detective Paul Crawford exited his van and ordered Williams to put his hands on the steering wheel. Other detectives aimed their weapons and surrounded the car. “Oh fuck!” Williams said. He revved the car, put it in reverse and then drove forward, crashing into a playground fence at the complex.
Detective Crawford told OCDA investigators that Williams ripped his shirt frantically with one hand while reaching for his waistband with the other. While Williams was still in his car with a “crazed look on his face,” Crawford believed he was getting ready to pull a weapon and shoot. The detective fired three times, striking him once.
Police arrested Williams when he began slipping in and out of consciousness. Paramedics arrived on scene next. A .22 caliber pistol fell out of his pants as they attended to his medical needs.
“Detective Crawford was justified in fearing for his life and the lives of the other officers based on the totality of the circumstances,” the OCDA report reads. “This justification is further strengthened by the fact that Williams turned out to be armed, just as Detective Crawford feared.”
On January 3, 2014, Williams pleaded guilty to multiple felonies including 5 counts committing a lewd act with a child. He was sentenced to five years in state prison.
Read the investigation letter in its entirety online.
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Gabriel San Román is from Anacrime. He’s a journalist, subversive historian and the tallest Mexican in OC. He also once stood falsely accused of writing articles on Turkish politics in exchange for free food from DönerG’s!