Shooting Victim Defied Deputy's Order, Reached Into Jacket, Officials Say

The man shot by an Orange County sheriff's deputy Saturday in Rancho Santa Margarita ignored the officer's warning and instead reached inside his jacket, according to a police spokesman.

Dennis Mitchell Mueller, 20, identified as the subject of the as-yet unnamed officer's gunshots, remains in Mission Hospital in stable condition, according to Sgt. Jason Park, spokesman for the Orange County Sherff's Department.

Mueller suffered at least one wound to the lower abdomen, according to the police report, although authorities have not yet publicly acknowledged the extent of Mueller's injuries.

"We determed that the officer gave commands for the subject to not move," Park said Monday. "At that point, the subject advanced toward the deputy and reached inside his jacket toward his waistband or an inside pocket, and the officer feared he was reaching for a weapon."

According to Park, that version of the story has been corroborated.

Park said that no weapon of Mueller's has been found, nor is there the expectation that one will emerge in the investigation, which is being conducted by the Orange County District Attorney's office.

The police report indicated that Mueller first turned away from the deputy before reaching inside his jacket; the officer had his gun drawn at the time.

, near Alma Aldea when the motorcycle officer observed Mueller riding his Suzuki without a license plate and traveling at a high rate of speed. The officer lost sight of Mueller, who was known through previous contact with the officer. The officer went to Mueller's residence on Meadow Park Lane in Robinson Ranch. It's there that the shooting took place, all in the span of about a minute, at 12:57 p.m.

A woman at Mueller's residence declined to talk to Patch.

Lt. Brian Schmutz, chief of police services in Rancho Santa Margarita, said he's aware of the sensitivity involving police officers using their weapons.

"We understand when there's an officer involved shooting, it generates a lot of questions in the community," he said. "We just ask for patience and understanding as the investigation unfolds."

Members of the community were familiar with Mueller, and said that he often drove too fast in the neighborhood.

Though just a young man, Mueller has already had a lifetime worth of run-ins with the law—no fewer than 15. His first came at age 13 when he was cited for purchasing or being in possession of tobacco/paraphernalia.

The most serious was buying or receiving a stolen vehicle on Aug. 25, for which he pleaded guilty. He served 30 days in jail and was placed on three years' probation.

Mueller was also charged with being under the influence of a controlled substance on June 9, 2011, for which he has yet to be judged in court.

Many of Mueller's contacts with law enforcement came from his driving too fast for the conditions, which inevitably led to the discovery that he failed to have documentation with him such as registration and insurance. 

In the past year, since March 7, 2011, Mueller was cited seven times by three agencies, the Orange County Sheriff's Department, California Highway Patrol and the Newport Beach Police Department.

Last December he was charged with reckless driving, driving with a suspended license, and going faster than 100 mph. He was to appear in court on those charges April 12.

From March 7 to April 19, he was cited four times—three for going too fast, and another for having inadequate tire tread and a faulty brake light. Two months later, he was again cited for driving too fast for the conditions.