Second arrest in fight with Yuba City police officer

A second suspect was arrested Wednesday in connection with a weekend incident that injured a Yuba City police officer.

Erica Joanne Ramirez was arrested around 1:30 p.m. near her home in the 300 block of Woodbridge Avenue, police spokeswoman Shawna Pavey said Thursday.

Pavey said the 33-year-old woman is one of two suspected thieves who tried to fight Officer David Santanna on Saturday night.

Prime suspect James Barboza-Solis was arrested Saturday.

Police said Barboza-Solis and Ramirez swiped a purse around 9 p.m. from the employee breakroom at the 99-cent Only Store on Colusa Avenue and fled.

Santanna quickly spotted the duo near Ramirez's home on Woodbridge Avenue. Santanna tried to prevent Barboza-Solis from climbing a fence, but Ramirez intervened and tried to help Barboza-Solis escape, Pavey said.

Barboza-Solis ran away, but Santanna caught up with him again near Central Street and Dorman Avenue.

After a short struggle, Barboza-Solis was arrested.

Santanna suffered cuts to his arms and legs during the struggle, police said.

Barboza-Solis, 45, pleaded not guilty on Wednesday in Sutter County Superior Court to charges of resisting arrest, theft and receiving stolen property. He remains in custody without bail at the Sutter County Jail and is due back in court next Wednesday. A preliminary hearing is set for Feb. 1.

Ramirez was arrested earlier this month on a drug possession charge. She posted bail on Jan. 8, according to court records.

She was booked into the Sutter County Jail on Wednesday on felony suspicion of obstructing an executive officer and committing a felony while on bail from a prior charge and a misdemeanor count of resisting.

Ramirez was also booked on suspicion of a single felony count of lynching.

Pavey said that the legal definition of "lynching" differs greatly from the common definition.

In this case, Pavey explained, police are seeking a lynching charge because they believe she used force to help Barboza-Solis escape Santanna's custody.

Ramirez is scheduled for arraignment today. She remains in custody on $500,000 bail.

CONTACT Rob Parsons at rparsons@appealdemocrat.com or 749-4785. Find him on Facebook at /ADcrimebeat or on Twitter at @ADcrimebeat.