LOS ANGELES – Deputy District Attorney Gregory Wilner, during an arraignment Thursday afternoon at the Downey Courthouse, urged that a man arrested for resisting arrest after washing car windows on the street remain in custody because of his criminal history and concerns he would fail to appear in court if released.
On Aug. 4, 2025, the man was washing car windows on the road in an attempt to make a living. Police approached him, claiming he was violating California Vehicle Code section 21954, which prohibits obstructing a roadway. When officers tried to detain him, he attempted to leave the scene and pulled his arms away.
According to his defense attorney, the man acted out of fear. “Under the current political climate,” the attorney said, “he feared the police and what could happen to him.”
He was arrested and charged with Penal Code section 148(a)(1), a misdemeanor for resisting, obstructing or delaying a peace officer or emergency medical technician. His public defender argued for his release, noting he had not harmed anyone and was only trying to earn a living. The attorney added that the man suffered a laceration from officers during the altercation.
Wilner countered that the man’s record warranted continued custody. He said the man has a 2018 felony conviction, a misdemeanor, and 18 prior bench warrants, raising concern he would not return for future hearings if released.
A bench warrant is issued by a judge allowing officers to arrest someone who “violates court rules by failing to comply with a court order or appear at a designated time and place.”
Judge Evan A. Kitahara indicated he intended to release the man, who accepted a diversionary offer. Under the offer’s terms, he must obey all laws for 12 months, complete 24 hours of community service at a nonprofit, refrain from using or possessing a deadly weapon, and comply with search and seizure conditions.
