TCSO K-9 finds suspect in orchard Friday evening A man was apprehended by a K-9 unit after trying to hit a woman with a beer bottle outside of a market in Poplar on Friday, the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office reported.

A man was apprehended by a K-9 unit after trying to hit a woman with a beer bottle outside of a market in Poplar on Friday, the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office reported.

At 6:51 p.m. on Friday, deputies were dispatched to La Familia Market in the 14600 block of Road 192 in Poplar for a report of someone brandishing a weapon. The victim called the Sheriff’s Office and said three male subjects approached her outside the market.

She said one of the subjects pointed a handgun at her when her boyfriend went inside the store and she was waiting in the car. She said another one of the suspects tried to hit her with a beer bottle while she was still in the car.

One of the suspects was described as a Hispanic male with long hair up in a bun. When deputies arrived, a male subject ran eastbound from the market into the orchard across the street from the market. The man that ran away had long hair up in a bun as described by the victim.

A perimeter was established around the orchard and a search was conducted with the use of a Sheriff’s K-9.

About 20 minutes into the search, the subject was apprehended by the dog after fleeing from deputies and concealing himself behind a tree. The suspect was identified as 23-year-old Joseph Ramirez from Poplar.

Ramirez was already on county probation for assault with a deadly weapon. The victim positively identified Ramirez as the individual that assaulted her with the beer bottle. Ramirez was medically cleared for incarceration at Sierra View Medical Center and was booked at the Porterville Substation.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office at 733-6218 or send anonymous information by sending a text or email to TCSO@ tipnow.com or call 725-4194.