Man hallucinates, calls police

A man who allegedly hallucinated that he was being chased by people carrying bats and knives, called police on Thursday and was subsequently arrested on suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance.

Porterville resident Augustine Garcia, 29, was in the parking lot of BR’s Food Mart, 284 W. Olive Ave,. when authorities arrived and found him to be on active parole, and under the influence of a controlled substance that was causing him to hallucinate, authorities report.

While police talked with Garcia, a car with three people inside pulled into the parking lot. One of the people told the officers that they were looking out for Garcia, authorities report.

One of the occupants, Monica Esparza, 31, consented to a vehicle search, which revealed about five grams of alleged methamphetamine concealed inside the car along with an alleged glass pipe, authorities report.

The police then determined that the other occupants, Jene Cortez, 36, and Luis Barrientos, 33, were also allegedly under the influence of a controlled substance. Further investigation revealed that Garcia, Esparza and Cortez had allegedly knowingly possessed the alleged methamphetamine inside the vehicle.

Garcia and the females were arrested and booked into the Tulare County Main Jail. Barrientos was arrested, but was later cited and released.

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