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A Menlo Park man was arrested on Dec. 6 after Santa Clara County sheriff’s deputies said he tried to start a fire at a Saratoga winery, threw a wine bottle at staff and then intentionally crashed a Tesla into two parked cars while fleeing the scene.
Deputies responded Saturday afternoon to Garrod Farms Estate Winery & Stables after employees reported that a man had attempted to ignite a fire on the property, according to the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office. When confronted, Menlo Park resident Vikram Beri, 42, allegedly threw a wine bottle at staff and sped off in his Tesla.
The Sheriff’s Office said Beri intentionally rammed two parked cars as he fled, sending one vehicle over an embankment. Beri then drove his Tesla down the same embankment, where he refused to surrender.
Deputies said they made several attempts to de-escalate the situation, but that he barricaded himself in the car. Deputies used pepper ball and pepper spray to force Beri to crawl out of the vehicle before he was taken into custody.
Beri was transported to a hospital for evaluation. He was booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and resisting arrest, the Sheriff’s Office said on Dec. 8.
The incident remains under investigation.
Editor’s note: This story was updated with the identity of the suspect on Dec. 10 when criminal charges were filed. It is Embarcadero Media Foundation’s policy to withhold the names of those arrested for most crimes until the District Attorney’s Office has determined that there is sufficient evidence to file charges in the case.
