Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:


On Oct. 26, 2021, at about 10:21 p.m., Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the 200 block of Central Avenue in Fields Landing for the report of a domestic disturbance between a man and a woman.

Deputies arrived in the area and located an adult female victim with minor injuries. The male suspect, 20-year-old Cristian Noel Verduzco-Munguia, was no longer on scene. Through their investigation, deputies determined Verduzco-Munguia to be in violation of PC 273.5(a), inflicting corporal injury on a spouse/cohabitant.

On October 27, at about 2:20 a.m., Sheriff’s deputies located Verduzco-Munguia driving a vehicle on U.S. Highway 101 near Loleta. Deputies attempted a traffic stop on the vehicle and the vehicle yielded near King Salmon. Prior to deputy contact, Verduzco-Munguia exited the vehicle and made gestures indicating that he may be in possession of a weapon. Verduzco-Munguia failed to comply with deputies’ requests and advanced toward deputies. A Sheriff’s deputy deployed a department issued taser, striking Verduzco-Munguia and successfully gaining compliance. Verduzco-Munguia was taken into custody and did not sustain injuries from the taser deployment

Verduzco-Munguia was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of inflicting corporal injury on a spouse/cohabitant (PC 273.5(A)), resisting a peace officer (PC 148(A)(1)) and driving on a suspended license (VC 14601.1(A)), in addition to warrant charges of driving under the influence of alcohol (VC 23152(A) & VC 23152(B)), blood alcohol .15 or over (VC 23578) and driving on a suspended license prior conviction (VC 14601.2(A)).

The month of October marks the annual observance of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. In 2020, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office investigated approximately 273 domestic violence related cases. Intimate Partner Violence takes many forms. It can be an occasional slap or push. It can be threats of physical harm or even death. It can be control over the lives of others, such as the refusal to let someone work, got to school, or leave the house. It can be insults and curses. It can be threats to deport someone, take away one’s children, or ruin one’s reputation. Intimate Partner Violence is not only physical or threats of harm, it can be emotional, verbal, sexual, or economic abuse. It can take place within a marriage, a dating relationship, a gay or lesbian relationship, or a former marriage or dating relationship.

If you or someone you know is experiencing violence at the hand of a partner or cohabitant, there are resources available to help: