UPDATE, 3:10 p.m.: The Sheriff’s Office wrote media outlets a few minutes ago to say the original name they had for this suspect — Alexander Sarkozy — was wrong. Actually, a spokesperson wrote, his name is Nicholas Alexander Sarkozy.

We sat there dumbfounded for a minute, then wrote back: Nicholas Sarkozy? Like the former president of France?

The Sheriff’s Office press person wrote back: His name is Nicholas Alexander Sarkozy.

This did not sit right, so I did my own research.

On the one hand, I discovered that there was no person named Nicholas Sarkozy in booking logs that night. There was, on the other hand, a person named Nicholas Santiago arrested at that time by a Sheriff’s Office deputy on charges of drunk in public and use of a taser.

On the other hand, this site does have a record of a person named “Nicholas Alexander Sarkozy” with a picture that looks very like the picture below.  However, that site notes that, among other things, this person had been charged with giving a false name to police.

I asked again whether the Sheriff’s Office could be certain that this person was named Nicholas Sarkozy, the same unusual name that belongs to a recent president of the Republic of France, given that the person was recorded as being booked under the name of “Nicholas Santiago.”

The Sheriff’s Office spokesperson replied: “He was identified by the jail staff as Nicholas Alexander Sarkozy.” Which I guess I take to mean: They later identified him as Nicholas Sarkozy, and he does in fact wear that improbable name. Whatever.

Also — and we did not catch this at the time — the Brass Rail is in Redway, not Garberville, as the Sheriff’s Office corrected a second ago.

— Ed.

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ORIGINAL POST:

Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:


On Feb. 24, 2024, at about 2:24 a.m., a Humboldt County Sheriff’s Deputy was dispatched to the Brass Rail Bar and Grill located at 3188 Redwood Dr. in Garberville Redway for the report of a disturbance with a person being shot in the hand with a taser.

Upon arrival, the deputy contacted several witnesses who reported a subject, later identified as 38-year-old Nicholas Alexander Sarkozy [See above — Ed.], started a verbal confrontation with the 44-year-old victim outside the bar and fired a taser at the victim striking him in the hand.  The victim sustained a puncture wound from one of the taser probes and was treated by medical personnel on scene and released. 

Alexander Sarkozy was arrested for assault with a stun gun (PC 244.5(b)), public intoxication (PC 647(f)) and booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility. 

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.