Police: Man Pulls Knife on Paramedics

Police arrested a Redondo Beach resident after he allegedly brandished a knife at a pair of paramedics at a home in the 1700 block of Camino de la Costa late Tuesday night.

The paramedics— Greg Allen and Matthew Bandy—were trying to help a man lying down in the driveway when Richard Matthews, 24, allegedly pulled the knife and accused them of being police officers, according to spokesman Sgt. Phil Keenan.

"[The paramedics] were trying to treat one guy that was … face-down in the driveway," Keenan said. "The Fire Department guys backed up, and finally they were able to convince the guy to drop the knife." The firefighters then kicked the knife away, Kennan said.

Police allege Matthews stabbed the victim—who was his cousin—in the hand before the officers spotted him, Keenan said. As officers arrested a struggling Matthews, his father, 55-year-old Gregory Matthews, stumbled out of the house and tried to intervene, Keenan said.

Officers pushed the elder Matthews back inside the house and arrested him on suspicion of being drunk in public, Keenan said.

Richard Matthews was booked into jail on suspicion of brandishing a knife in a threatening manner, assault with a deadly weapon and interfering with firefighters in the course of their duty.