Tucson Region

Woman, 4 police attacked; former deportee held

A 37-year-old Guadalajara, Mexico, man is in jail after assaulting a woman and four police officers at a South Tucson auto repair shop Sunday afternoon, police said. Rodolfo Ambriz-Ramirez is charged with attempted first-degree murder, five counts of aggravated assault and kidnapping. He is a felon who has been deported before, said Sgt. Richard Muñoz, who leads the detective unit at the South Tucson Police Department. South Tucson police went to the repair shop after receiving a call about a woman being assaulted during an argument, Muñoz said. The woman was not seriously injured. When an officer tried to talk to Ambriz-Ramirez, who had been drinking alcohol, he ran into the shop and closed the door. A short time later, he ran out the back and stabbed Sgt. Armando Teyechea with a knife as the police tried to subdue him, Muñoz said. Ambriz-Ramirez ran back into the business, came out with a shovel and tried again to assault the officers, Muñoz said. Police followed Ambriz-Ramirez back into the shop, where they saw him striking matches, trying to set fire to a can of gasoline. Ambriz-Ramirez was injured in a struggle with the officers and was taken to St. Mary's Hospital, where he was treated and released. Teyechea also was treated and released from the hospital. Four other officers suffered minor injuries and they were treated at the scene.