San Rafael, CA – On 01/29/2022, before 11:45 AM, David Moses, a 51-year-old San Rafael resident, was arrested after fighting with officers while being detained for San Rafael Municipal Code violations.  Moses was booked into the Marin County Jail for several charges, which included felony aggravated obstruction of a peace officer and battery on an officer.

Just before 11:45 AM, the San Rafael Police Department’s “Mission City” police boat was patrolling the Canal waterway near a yacht harbor along the 500 block of Francisco Boulevard East in San Rafael.  

An officer on the police boat who had been working an ongoing case involving illegal mooring and anchoring in the Canal waterway observed the suspect, David Moses, trying to evade on a small, unregistered boat into the nearby yacht harbor.

An officer on street patrol responded to the yacht harbor to assist and locate Moses.  Moses was found walking onto a dock, and the officer approached him.  Moses was told that he was being detained for illegal mooring and anchoring.  Moses claimed that he was a sovereign citizen and was not subject to the law.  

Moses became uncooperative and would not follow the officer’s directions not to resist and tried pushing past the officer.  Moses then became physically combative and fought with the officer.  Moses also made threats to harm the officer further.  The officer used a taser to stop and subdue Moses during the struggle, but it had no effect.  The physical fight lasted for over a minute and ended when the police boat officer was able to make it onto the dock and assisted with taking Moses into custody.

Moses was booked into Marin County Jail for felony aggravated obstruction of a peace officer, resisting a peace officer, battery on a peace officer, grand theft, vandalism, and prohibiting mooring/anchoring of a vessel.

The officer received a minor injury resulting from the suspect fighting and is expected to make a full recovery.  Moses was not injured.  

The case has been forwarded to the Marin County District Attorney’s Office for review and prosecution.