Woman arrested on suspicion of vandalism, assaulting officer after breaking Costa Mesa PD window

A 20-year-old woman was booked early Wednesday morning on charges of vandalism, assaulting an officer and resisting arrest, after she allegedly broke a window at the Costa Mesa police station and led officers on a brief foot chase.

CMPD spokeswoman Roxi Fyad said Records Bureau employees who were on duty Wednesday shortly before 3 a.m. heard the sound of glass breaking on the top floor of the Fair Drive structure and alerted the watch commander.

A small hole was observed in a window of the top-floor foyer area, and responding officers saw a woman standing in the road near the intersection of Fair and Fordham drives. She appeared to be upset and under the influence of alcohol, police reported.

The suspect, identified as Samantha Valdez, 20, of Costa Mesa attempted to flee and allegedly assaulted one officer and resisted arrest before being transported to the station, according to Fyad.

Footage from a closed-circuit television camera on the property reportedly captured images of Valdez as she walked by the department, picked up a rock and threw it at the window, causing it to break. The camera also recorded the suspect’s arrest.

An online prison inmate locator maintained by the Sheriff’s Department showed Valdez was being held at the Intake Release Center for women Wednesday but was released shortly after 2:45 p.m.

Fyad said CCTV footage of the incident was not being released, as the matter was still under investigation.

Anyone with additional information, or who may have witnessed the event, is asked to contact CMPD’s Investigations Safety Bureau at (714) 754-5205.

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