Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

Dakota Blue Reinius. | Photo via HCSO

On 10/7/2021, at about 00:09  hours, Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the Garberville Town Square in the 700 Block of Locust St for the report of suspicious activity by 5-6 individuals including possible drug use and disturbing the peace.

Deputies arrived on scene and identified one of the subjects as 47-year-old Dakota Blue Reinius, known to the responding deputies to be a felony warrant suspect.

Upon advising Reinius of his warrant and providing instruction to remain seated, Reinius ignored deputies’ commands by standing up and beginning to walk away. Deputies advised Reinius that he was under arrest and commanded him to get on the ground while they had their Tasers pointed at Reinius. Another subject on scene then ran in front of Reinius forcing deputies to lower their Tasers.

At this time Reinius began running away from deputies and a short foot pursuit ensued and ended when Reinius stopped, turned towards deputies, raised his fists, and took a defensive stance for fighting.  

Due to Reinius refusing commands and his aggressive behavior, the deputy pointed and discharged their department issued Taser into Reinius. Reinius then began to reach towards his pocket, deputies commanded Reinius to place his hands up, however Reinius ignored the command and the deputy again deployed their Taser into Reinius after which Reinius complied with deputy commands and was placed into handcuffs and under arrest. During their search of Reinius’s property subsequent to arrest, deputies located a loaded firearm inside Reinius’s backpack.

Reinius was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of Carrying a loaded firearm in person/vehicle in public (PC 25850(a)), Obstructing a Public Officer (148(a)(1)), in addition to warrant charges for inflicting corporal injury on spouse/cohabitant (PC 273.5(a)), false imprisonment with violence (PC 236), kidnapping (PC 207(A)), and battery with serious injury (PC 243(d)).     

This case is still under investigation.

Anyone with information about this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.