Man arrested after standoff at Laguna Lake Park in San Luis Obispo

A 30-year-old man was arrested Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026, after multiple 911 callers reported he was attempting to assault parkgoers at Laguna Lake Park in San Luis Obispo.

Callers stated the man was threatening someone on a trail with scissors or a knife, according to the San Luis Obispo Police Department.

Witnesses told officers the man threw a large rock at a victim—missing them—then picked it up again and followed the person.

Officers located the suspect holding a pair of scissors; he ran and ignored commands. Police used a rubber baton projectile round and pepper spray in an attempt to take him into custody, but he jumped into the south end of Laguna Lake and hid in the reeds.

A San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office K-9 was deployed to help remove the suspect, who began striking the dog before officers intervened and arrested him on the shore, police said.

The man, identified as Jyerick Nebeker, sustained a dog bite to his left leg and was taken to a local hospital, where police say he continued to fight and spat in an officer’s face.

After being medically cleared, Nebeker was booked into San Luis Obispo County Jail on suspicion of felony assault likely to cause great bodily injury (PC 245(a)(4)), felony resisting an executive officer (PC 69(a)), felony probation violation (PC 3455(b)(1)), misdemeanor battery on a peace officer (PC 243(b)), misdemeanor brandishing a deadly weapon (PC 417(a)(1)), and misdemeanor harming a police dog (PC 600(b)).

Bail was denied; he remains in custody pending court proceedings.