Security Guard Pepper Sprays Parolee Who Brandished Knife in Pasadena: Officials

A security guard pepper-sprayed a man already on parole for assault with a deadly weapon who allegedly pulled a knife during a confrontation in Pasadena on Thursday, officials said.

Clarence Anthony Williams, 48, described as a local transient, was again arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, according to Pasadena police and Los Angeles County county records.

Responding officers took him into custody following the incident, which unfolded just before 7 a.m. in a commercial neighborhood in the 1000 block of South Arroyo Parkway, Pasadena police Lt. Anthony Russo said

The security guard, an Arcadia man in his 30s, was working when Williams approached, “yelling unintelligible things,” the lieutenant said.

When the guard told him to stay back, Williams pulled out a serrated, 9-inch-long blade and began advancing on the guard, Russo said. The security guard sprayed him with pepper spray, which caused him to walk away while the guard retreated and called police.

Officers found Williams still nearby and found the large knife beneath a pile of clothing nearby, Russo said.

He was treated for exposure to pepper spray prior to booking, he added.

Prior criminal convictions include assault with a deadly weapon in 2017 and carrying a concealed dirk or dagger in 2018, Los Angeles County Superior Court records show.

According to Los Angeles County booking records, Williams was being held without bail pending his initial appearance in Los Angeles County Superior Court.