Police arrest transient man

Police arrested a 38-year-old man on suspicion of assault with a

deadly weapon after he allegedly slashed a motorist’s side mirror

with a knife early Saturday morning.

At around 12:30 a.m., Lt. Dale Birney said, police were called to

an area near 19th Street and Pomona Avenue, where a man was reported

to be standing in the middle of the road and waving a knife at

passing drivers. James Stadler Bailey, a transient currently staying

Costa Mesa, was arrested shortly thereafter.

Birney said the man was threatening drivers as he waved the knife

at them.

One motorist called the police after an assailant put a two- to

three-inch scratch on his driver’s side mirror.

“He was yelling threats at all kinds of drivers that were driving

on 19th Street,” Birney said. “This particular guy, he got close

enough that when the driver swerved, he hit the rear view mirror.”

Bailey was booked at the Costa Mesa police station and held on

bail.