Mon. June 30, update: Norman Valdez pleaded not guilty this morning during his arraignment to the multiple misdemeanors the Shasta County DA’s office is charging him with. The case was put off for motions until August 8.
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The Shasta County District Attorney’s Office has charged 62-year-old McArthur resident Norman Valdez with multiple misdemeanors stemming from a physical altercation he had with off-duty Redding Police Department officer Jacob Ruiz in Redding on the morning of April 26. The incident led to Valdez’s arrest.
A News Café first reported the run-in that took place between Ruiz and Valdez on May 26 after an amateur video of a portion of the incident shared on Reddit went viral on May 17. The video received much attention online from people near and far.
Many questioned whether Ruiz’s behavior, as seen in the video, violated RPD’s policies for off-duty officers partaking in law enforcement activities.
On June 10, the Shasta County DA’s Office charged Valdez with multiple misdemeanor charges, including one misdemeanor count of battery on a police officer, one misdemeanor count of a PC415 based on Valdez’s alleged use of “offensive words in public place,” and three misdemeanor counts of resisting, delaying, or obstructing a police officer.
Valdez’s arraignment will take place at the Shasta County Superior Court building on Monday, June 30, at 8:30 a.m.
Since A News Café’s last report on this incident between Ruiz and Valdez, a YouTube podcast has surfaced that analyzes Ruiz’s conduct as seen in the viral video. Also, some bystanders who saw the run-in between Ruiz and Valdez have come forward to speak with A News Café and share what they saw that day.
Furthermore, new details have emerged about a previous charge by a civilian against Ruiz for excessive force while on duty with the RPD.
In the last two months since the Ruiz/Valdez incident, RPD officer Jacob Ruiz’s wife has emerged on social media as one of her husband’s most vocal defenders and supporters, even though she did not witness the incident.
Valdez represented by prominent Northern California lawyer
Valdez is being represented by Mark Kalina, a Mendocino-based attorney who has 29 years of experience in the courtroom with criminal law and family law cases. Kalina, who now runs his own private practice, previously served as a Deputy District Attorney in Mendocino County for eight years.
Kalina was the award recipient of Mendocino County’s D.A. of the Year in 1997. In 2000, he received the Fish & Game Director’s Achievement Award for his service to the community.
A News Café contacted Kalina’s office seeking comment on the Ruiz/Valdez case, but has not received a response.
As previously reported by A News Café, Norman Valdez and his wife, 59-year-old Lisa Valdez, traveled to Redding from their McArthur home on the morning of April 26 to attend the annual Kool April Nites car show. The couple had participated in the annual Redding cruise the night before in their 1968 Chevy Camaro.
The Valdezes were excited to check out the cars at the car show. However, what began with a peaceful drive to Redding ended with Valdez booked into the Shasta County Jail.
Conflicting accounts regarding the incident
As previously reported by A News Café, the Valdezes and the RPD have conflicting accounts of what happened in the moments before Valdez was arrested by a uniformed RPD officer who arrived on the scene after Valdez’s and Ruiz’s physical run-in.
A “news release” shared on Facebook by the RPD on April 26 said Valdez yelled profanities at two RPD Community Service Officers and RPD explorers – age 14-21 years old – after being denied entry into a parking lot near the Civic Center because it was reportedly filled to capacity.
The RPD news release said Valdez became increasingly aggressive and directed gender-specific slurs and obscene gestures at the CSOs and explorers as he walked by the parking lot where his car had previously been denied entrance.
Valdez admitted that he cursed at the CSOs, and that he was upset that he had been denied access to the parking lot while witnessing other cars being let in as he walked by. The Valdezes, said however, that contrary to the RPD report, the couple did not see any people who appeared to be children standing next to the CSOs.
The Valdezes maintain that Norman was exercising his First Amendment freedom of speech when he, from a distance, cursed at and exchanged words with the CSOs.
The RPD news release claimed that off-duty RPD officer Ruiz showed up in an attempt to diffuse the situation by instructing Valdez to leave the area. Valdez, then, according to the RPD, turned his aggression toward Ruiz and attempted to assault him.
The Valdezes dispute RPD’s claims. They say Ruiz was the real aggressor; that Ruiz seemingly came out of nowhere and attacked Norman, causing him to spill his recently purchased large Starbucks coffee.
The Valdezes told A News Café that Norman was about 10 feet away from the CSOs, and that Valdez and the CSOs were separated by a high chain-link gate connected to the parking lot fencing that served as a barrier between Valdez and the CSOs.
According to the Valdezes, Ruiz had previously approached their vehicle and yelled at them to move along as Norman Valdez discussed the parking situation with the CSOs. They said they then drove off to find a different nearby parking lot. Ruiz, they said, shouted into their car. The couple said they couldn’t fully make out what he said – other than something Ruiz yelled about threatening to arrest Norman if he didn’t move along.
Ruiz had parked his private vehicle in the parking lot and was allegedly returning to his vehicle when he first approached the Valdezes. Ruiz then returned to the front gate when he witnessed Valdez exchanging words with the CSOs.
Amateur video sparks outrage
The viral video shared on Reddit shows that final 2:48 minutes of the physical altercation between Valdez and Ruiz. Ruiz is seen in the video pushing Valdez backward while Ruiz repeatedly tries to grab Valdez’s arms and neck.
Valdez — and the unknown man who recorded the video and shared it online — are seen and heard in the video asking Ruiz what crime Valdez was guilty of committing. Ruiz first shouted out that Valdez was “guilty of obstructing a public officer.” A few moments later, he called Valdez a “415 subject.”
Ruiz also yelled obscenities at Valdez. Ruiz was captured in the video yelling, “Get on the ground mother fucker!” as he repeatedly pushed and grabbed at Valdez. Ruiz also ordered Valdez to “get away from the women and the children.”
A photograph of RPD officers at the recent Redding Rodeo shared by the RPD on social media. RPD Officer Jacob Ruiz, rifle in hand, is second from the left in the front row.
At the end of the video, three law enforcement personnel wrestled Valdez to the ground, face first, after which Ruiz kneeled with his full weight upon Valdez’s head as Valdez yelled, “You’re hurting me! I can’t breathe.”
The viral video has sparked considerable debate regarding Ruiz’s behavior. Many wonder if Ruiz adequately tried to de-escalate the situation, and/or if he adhered to RPD guidelines for off-duty officers participating in law enforcement activities.
Valdez was eventually arrested by an on-duty RPD officer who arrived to the scene to assist Ruiz. Valdez was later booked into the Shasta County Jail on charges including assault on a police officer, public intoxication, and resisting arrest.
Under the influence?
Despite RPD’s accusations that Valdez was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, the RPD did not test Valdez to determine if he had drugs or alcohol in his system. As previously reported, Lisa Valdez — who’s a nurse — encouraged Norman to undertake an ETG test a few days after the incident to rule out the presence of any drugs or alcohol in Norman’s system at the time of the arrest.
The RPD also allegedly refused to have Valdez examined by medical staff after his arrest, despite the fact that Valdez informed RPD officers that he had a history of traumatic brain injuries, and had standing orders from his physician to always be evaluated after any blow to the head.
As previously reported, Valdez is a Purple Heart Iraqi war combat veteran. He was severely injured while serving in the military in Iraq in 2004 after an IED blew up a Humvee he was driving. Valdez suffers from PTSD that resulted from his military service in Iraq. The death and destruction he witnessed in Iraq haunts him to this day in the form of night sweats and graphic and violent nightmares.
Excessive force lawsuit
Ruiz is no stranger to accusations of excessive force. In October of 2022, Ruiz, along with RPD officer Shannah Johnson, were named as defendants in a civil rights action lawsuit brought about by plaintiff Andrew Decker. It is not clear what Decker was arrested for, but he did have an outstanding warrant when he was pulled over in Redding by Ruiz and Johnson.
Decker alleged in the court order he was “attacked without warning or provocation” by Ruiz and Johnson after the officers pulled him over.
Decker also alleged that after exiting his vehicle, Ruiz “came from behind” and grabbed his right arm in an “excruciatingly painful hold.”
Decker, at the time of the arrest, was under doctor’s care for an injured shoulder. The court order claims that officer Johnson grabbed Decker’s left arm to cuff him as Decker begged Johnson and Ruiz to stop assaulting him.
Instead of releasing pressure on his injured shoulder, says the court order, Ruiz applied more pressure, which caused Decker to scream out in pain.
Decker also asserted that the handcuffs were applied so tightly as to cause him pain and distress, and that “it was impossible to put anything between the cuffs and his wrists, let alone a finger.” The tight cuffs, said Decker, caused tingling and numbing sensations in his arms and left marks on his skin.
Decker was then reportedly placed in the back of the squad car by Ruiz and Johnson with excruciatingly tight handcuffs on his wrists.
All demands for medical care resulting from the alleged excessive force and the application of tight-fitting handcuffs were reportedly denied to Decker.
‘Culture of Back the Blue’
According to the court order, Decker accused the RPD of operating under a “culture of Back the Blue.” Decker’s court order also accused the RPD of operating under policies and customs that are “intended to veil and shield their conduct,” a tactic some refer to as the “blue wall of silence.”
The court order also says Decker believed there was a “long-standing public perception of [the RPD] engaging in a practice of biased enforcement against lower-income persons” and that RPD officers sometimes “target” certain people, solely based upon appearances.
The lawsuit against Ruiz and Johnson was dismissed, without prejudice, by a judge in December of 2023 due to Decker’s failure to follow prosecution protocols. The dismissal of the lawsuit could very well have resulted from the fact that Decker lacked the resources and knowhow to proceed with the lawsuit.
Multiple prior law enforcement contacts?
On May 19, a few days after the video went viral on Reddit of the altercation between Ruiz and Valdez, the RPD posted a damage-control “update” on Facebook about the incident. The RPD update shared new information about how the RPD had contacted the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office to discuss alleged prior SCSO contacts with Valdez.
The RPD Facebook update said Valdez had “multiple prior law enforcement contacts with the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office for disturbing the peace.”
Likewise, in a May 20 email, RPD Chief Brian Barner told A News Café, “We did receive information about the arrestee and the McArthur Fire Department,” and “We did speak with them and the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office.”
Chief Barner is likely referring to a civil lawsuit – and events surrounding it – that passed through the court system in 2023 and 2024 known as Valdez vs. Fall River Valley Fire Protection District Commissioners.
The Valdezes said that Valdez v. Fall River Fire was filed by Norman Valdez in response to numerous significant Brown Act violations by the Fall River Valley Fire District Board over the course of several months, beginning in May of 2023. The case was reportedly settled with a judicially supervised settlement agreement in which the district promised not to violate the Brown Act or repeat their actions that led to the lawsuit.
Valdez v. Fall River Fire was followed by Morgan v. Valdez, a civil harassment lawsuit filed by Jody Morgan, the clerk of the board for Fall River Valley Fire Prevention District. Among other things, Morgan sought a restraining order against Valdez.
Morgan v. Valdez reportedly went to a bench trial and the judge heard both sides. After watching a video of Valdez at a public meeting provided by Morgan, the judge found that Valdez had not committed any harassment against her. Rather, the judge concluded that the video showed Valdez making a public information request at a public meeting and that his right to do this was guaranteed under the First Amendment.
The judge denied Morgan’s motion with prejudice, finding that no harassment had occurred.
Although Barner publicly said RPD had spoken with other law enforcement agencies regarding Valdez’s past run-ins with the law, the fact remains that Valdez has never been convicted of any crime in Shasta County.
RPD Chief backs Ruiz’s actions
Despite the public outcry regarding the content in the viral video of the Ruiz/Valdez incident, RPD Police Chief Brian Barner shared with A News Café that “witnesses and police staff at the scene are all consistent on their statements” regarding what occurred in the moments before the video started.
All of the witness accounts collected by the RPD, says Chief Barner, justify Ruiz’s actions and Valdez’s arrest – as has been reported by multiple news outlets.
On May 20, A News Café emailed questions to Chief Barner about the Ruiz/Valdez incident. Among other questions, A News Café asked Chief Barner why the RPD was seeking additional video or photos of the incident if the RPD fully stood behind Ruiz’s behavior and Valdez’s arrest.
“We have been told that several community members witnessed this incident and some were videoing via phones,” said Chief Barner.
“We asked for anyone to come forward because the more views/angles we have the better. We also would like to get video of the initial contact in his [Valdez’s] car and the second contact when he approached on foot.”
Barner claims that several “community members” witnessed the incident, and that some even videoed the altercation. However, RPD has not provided A News Cafe any witness accounts that support Ruiz’s version of the incident.
RPD policies for off-duty officers
It is unclear at what point in the video Valdez resisted arrest once, let alone three times. Valdez also did not assault Ruiz during the moments captured in the video.
What is clear is the portion of RPD Policy Manual that shares guidelines for RPD officers who conduct law enforcement actions while off-duty.
“Initiating law enforcement action while off-duty is generally discouraged,” says the RPD Policy Manual for off-duty officers. It also states that “Officers should not attempt to initiate enforcement action when witnessing minor crimes.”
“Any sworn member of this Department who becomes aware of an incident or circumstance that he/she reasonably believes poses an imminent threat of serious bodily injury or death, or significant property damage may take reasonable action to minimize the threat,” continues the RPD Policy Manual regarding off-duty officers.
These RPD guidelines beg the question, that most likely will be addressed in court: What sort of a danger, if any, did Valdez actually present to the CSOs and the general public?
New witnesses come forward
A News Café spoke with two individuals who witnessed the physical run-in between Ruiz and Valdez.
Steve Van Horne, a former Redding resident visiting the area, was a passenger in a vehicle that pulled up to the parking lot as Valdez was reportedly cursing at the CSOs and explorers.
“We had just pulled up and were waiting to get into the lot,” said Van Hone to A News Café. Van Horne said Valdez was facing the CSOs and explorers and that he was “screaming at them and dropping f bombs.”
“He was postured very aggressively. He kept getting closer and closer to the parking lot staff,” said Van Horne. Van Horne also shared, however, that Valdez never got more than about 10 feet from the CSOs and explorers.
“That’s when the off-duty officer came on the scene. Valdez wasn’t letting up and getting more heated and aggressive. Honestly, if he wouldn’t have come in the scene, my friend and I would have gotten out and got in the way because it appeared he was ready to physically attack them. The officer was very firm but also way more fair than I would have been. He gave Valdez MULTIPLE opportunities to leave the area on his own.”
Van Horne also said he witnessed Ruiz identify himself right away. We saw him pull out his wallet and show (presumably) his ID to Valdez.”
As previously reported by A News Café, Norman Valdez told A News Café that Ruiz flashed his wallet to show Valdez his RPD badge, or some kind credentials to identity himself as a police officer, but at the time, Norman couldn’t see what Ruiz flashed in his face because he has farsighted vision.
Van Horne said he provided a witness testimony regarding the incident to the RPD.
An additional witness who was walking on the sidewalk near where the incident, who wishes to remain anonymous to protect their identity, corroborated the claim by many that Valdez was about 10 feet from the CSOs and explorers when he cursed at them.
The second witness who spoke with A News Café was leaving the car show when he walked by the area where the physical run-in between Ruiz and Valdez occurred.
“After he was told that he needs to walk away, he just stood there with his cell phone out, and then the man came out and started fighting with Valdez,” said the witness.
Unlike Van Horne, the second witness did not provide a witness statement to the RPD.
YouTuber breaks down Ruiz/Valdez video
On June 9, the day before the DA’s office officially charged Valdez with multiple misdemeanor offenses, a YouTube podcaster who requested his name not be published, posted a 37-minute video podcast that examines the Ruiz-Valdez viral video and Valdez’s arrest, titled “Arrested for Yelling and Cursing: 1st Amendment.”
The podcaster operates a YouTube channel known as the Underdog Research Channel.
After giving a detailed definition of how “obstructing a public officer” is defined in California, the YouTuber emphatically denied that Valdez was guilty at any point during the video of obstructing a public officer.
Furthermore, he questioned the way in which Ruiz, as seen in the video, changes from accusing Valdez of obstructing a public officer, to telling at Valdez to “get away from the women and children.”
The YouTuber argued that Valdez’s use of profanities did not obstruct justice and that he – similar to the Morgan v. Valdez decision – was exercising his free speech rights guaranteed under the First Amendment.
The YouTube cited Cohen v. California (1971), a case which established that “Under the First Amendment, most forms of speech – including offensive or profane language – are protected, even if they provoke anger or discomfort.”
He also cited the Supreme Court decision for the 1940s case Cantwell v. Connecticut, which stated that “disturbing the peace” must involve clear and present danger that rises above public inconvenience, annoyance, or unrest.
The YouTuber also argued that Valdez was not guilty of violating California’s Penal Code 415 because Valdez was not unlawfully fighting in a public place, and because Valdez was exercising Constitutional right to free speech when he cursed at the CSO’s and explorers, and because Valdez was not using offensive words in public place in order to provoke an immediate and violent reaction.
“Since we didn’t have it captured about the tone in which he was using, under California statute, I can see the argument being made that he was loud, but I don’t see where it will fit that it would enact violence,” said the YouTuber.
“See, you can cuss at someone, you can raise your voice, and it sill can be annoying and not violate the law because you’re allowed to do so under the Constitution.”
The YouTube argued that the RPD and the DA’s Office “cherry picked” certain aspects of penal codes and laws to bring charges against Valdez and are bending the rules to make them fit Valdez’s actions.
The podcaster also accused off-duty officer Ruiz of being guilty of escalating the situation by pushing and shoving Valdez repeatedly and partaking of actions that were an overreach of his authority.
The YouTuber concluded that Valdez is innocent of the misdemeanor charges brought against him by the DA’s office.
Ruiz’s wife, a vocal online advocate for her husband
Ruiz’s wife, Ashley Nicole Ruiz, who has her own personal YouTube account, vehemently disagrees with the podcaster. She verbally attacked the YouTuber in the comment section of an excerpt of the podcast on the Ruiz and Valdez incident.
Here is the full text of what Ashley Ruiz – who goes by Ashley Nicole on YouTube – posted under the Underdog Research Channel video:
“What so your background in analyzing these videos? Were you a police officer previously? Are you a criminal justice major? Are you a lawyer? Also are you aware this before started 2/3 through the incident and this was the second time Valdez was confronted by the officer and told to leave? You should inquire about Mr. Valdez prior contacts with the police? You cannot see it but in the video Valdez was going back towards where the minor explorers were and the women who he was just acting in a threatening manor towards. There are multiple civilian witnesses who were there from start to finish who have a very different story from Mr. And Mrs. Valdez.” (sic)
Here’s the YouTube podcaster’s response to Ashley Ruiz:
“I’m an American protected under the rights afforded to me by the U.S. Constitution—and that’s more than enough to speak on police and citizen interactions. These laws aren’t reserved for judges, lawyers, or officers alone. Every citizen is expected to understand, follow, and navigate them—especially during encounters with law enforcement where no legal counsel is present in the moment. So, to answer your question: I’m a law-abiding citizen exercising my constitutional right to observe, critique, and discuss these interactions. That’s not only my right—it’s my responsibility. No further credentials required.”
Screenshot of Ashley Ruiz questioning the Underdog Research Channel podcaster under a short video he shared from his Ruiz/Valdez podcast.
Screenshot of Ashley Ruiz’s YouTube profile.
Screenshot of a video of Ashley Ruiz’s presentation on PTSD shared on YouTube.
Off-duty cop’s wife targets Lisa Valdez on social media
A News Café contacted the Underdog Research Channel YouTube podcaster to ask him about the comments Ashley Ruiz posted under his videos regarding the Ruiz/Valdez incident. He was unaware that the person who goes by Ashley Nicole on YouTube is Ashley Ruiz, Jacob Ruiz’s wife.
“She has been posting very consistently a pro-police version of events and perspectives. Very detailed and lengthy posts and she appears to at the same time attempt to discredit Ms. Valdez.”
In one comment Ashley Ruiz posted under one of the Underdog Research Channel’s videos, she accused Lisa Valdez, Norman Valdez’s wife, of being behind a fake YouTube account posing as Jacob Ruiz.
As part of Ashley Ruiz’s active social media defense of her husband, she’s written verbal attacks against those who questioned her husband’s behavior on the Redding Crime & Community Alert/Shasta County Facebook group page.
Ashley Ruiz has also targeted Lisa Valdez in numerous Facebook comments, some in response to Lisa’s social media comments. Lisa Valdez expressed surprise and shock that she was attacked on social media by an off-duty police officer’s wife.
Screenshot of Ashley Ruiz’s comments on Facebook.
Screenshot of Ashley Ruiz’s comments on Facebook.
On social media, many commenters question why the Shasta County DA’s office would bring multiple misdemeanor charges against Norman Valdez, especially in an ultra conservative county where so many residents openly pledge their support for basic constitutional rights, such as freedom of speech.
Examples abound of other problematic incidents ignored by the District Attorney. For example, in October of 2022, former political activist and local businessman Carlos Zapata threatened in a phone voicemail message to kill a political opponent who made a comment about his wife that upset him. No charges for the death threat were brought against Zapata by the DA’s office.
In June of 2023, Shasta County resident Alex Bielecki used the N-word in a highly racist manner while speaking during the public comment portion of a Shasta County Board of Supervisor meeting. Then board chair Patrick Jones did nothing about it. In fact, Jones kicked out Nathan Pinkney because Pinkney, who was the only African American in the room, spoke out in protest of Bielecki’s use of the racist word.
Tim Mapes, the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office’s Public Information Officer/Community Education Specialist, issued a public statement at the time which stated that the SCSO submitted a criminal complaint about Bielecki’s behavior to the DA’s office.
Maples wrote, “It is the belief of the Sheriff’s Office that Alex Bielecki violated PC 415 (3) which reads ‘any person who uses offensive words in a public place which are inherently likely to provoke an immediate violent reaction.’”
“At the discretion of the DA, this violation can be charged as either a misdemeanor or an infraction,” said Maples in the public statement.
The DA’s office did not bring any charges against Bielecki.
In August of 2023, when far-right members of the community showed up in droves to Shasta County Board of Supervisor meetings to air their political grievances, Shasta County resident Timothy Fairfield stepped to the microphone during the public comment portion of one meeting and indirectly threatened to lynch board members. No criminal charges were brought against Fairfield.
There’s a striking difference between death threats and Valdez’s use of curse words on a public sidewalk.
So many questions. Will Valdez be found guilty of the multiple misdemeanor charges brought against him by the District Attorney? Or will Ruiz, the RPD, and the DA’s office, when faced with Valdez’s formidable legal representation, withdraw the charges, concluding it’s not worth expending valuable county resources for a case they may lose?
Valdez hopes that the June 30 Shasta County court court hearing will provide answers to those questions, and others.
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