Costa Mesa, CA — Resisting arrest can often lead to additional charges being filed against a suspect. This is particularly true if officers perceive that the suspect is trying to take their weapon. Police say that’s what happened when a Costa Mesa man was arrested this weekend.
Dana Winfred Lofland was arrested while apparently high on drugs on Saturday night. According to the Costa Mesa Police Department, they received reports reports that Lofland, 50, was running into traffic and flailing his arms. When officers were sent to investigate, Lofland ran inside of a Circle K convenience store on Harbor Boulevard. Police say that while they attempted to talk to Lofland the clerk demanded that he leave.
Lofland began to leave, however, he turned around and was taken into custody. After officers had placed him in handcuffs, Lofland allegedly reached out and put his hand on an officer’s holster. According to the police, he was arrested on suspicion of being on methamphetamine, resisting arrest, and and trying to take an officer’s gun.
This is not Lofland’s first brush with the law, he is currently on probation for second-degree robbery. He has also previously pleaded guilty to several felonies, including:
- assaulting an officer
- criminal threats,
- receiving stolen property
The public’s attitudes towards recreational drug use may be relaxing somewhat, but most drug use, possession, production, and sales remain illegal. Law enforcement agencies and prosecutors are still zealously applying these laws and using them to bring charges against people from all walks of life.
When you’re up against any kind of drug charge, the best thing you can do is to hire a criminal defense attorney to represent you. An attorney will act as your voice in court and will make sure that your rights are protected throughout the process of an investigation and trial.
At the Law Office of Michael L. Guisti, we have the experience and the expertise to defend our clients against drug crimes and other criminal charges in Southern California’s state and federal courts. We’ve successfully defended clients against charges of drug possession, domestic violence, sexual assault, murder, theft, and fraud. Over the past 16 years, our firm has built up a strong reputation for being tough in the courtroom and providing excellent representation. Our dedication to our clients is one of the reasons why we’ve received so many referrals over the years.
When you bring your case to us, we’ll do everything in our power to help you have the charges against you reduced or dismissed. We know how difficult it is fight criminal charges, and we’ll work with you to make sure that the process is as painless as possible. Our staff is available to address your questions and concerns 24/7. We never give up on our clients and we aren’t afraid to take on difficult or high-profile cases.
We’re proud of the work we’ve done in Orange County’s state and federal courts. Our success has allowed us to open up offices in Santa Ana, Newport Beach, Garden Grove, and Irvine, which in turn allows us to better serve local courthouses and population centers. We are more than happy to provide our clients with foreign language assistance as needed.
So if you need help fighting criminal charges in Orange County, call the Law Office of Michael L. Guisti at (714) 707-2797 for a free consultation.
Sources:
Duranty, Alyssa. “Cops say man high on drugs tried to take Costa Mesa officer’s gun during arrest.” http://www.ocregister.com/articles/handgun-658689-costa-officer.html. Orange County Register. 20 April 2015.
