Sacto 9-1-1

From Kim Minugh:

A Sacramento police officer was arrested this morning on suspicion of felony domestic violence and brandishing his service weapon during an argument with his girlfriend, according to authorities.

Bryan David Weinrich (left photo), a 23-year-old patrol officer who works downtown, was booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail at 11 a.m. and has since been released, according to jail booking records. He was booked on suspicion of domestic violence, brandishing a firearm, kidnapping and false imprisonment - all felonies.

Galt police Lt. Jim Uptegrove said the charges stem from an argument that began Wednesday night at the couple's Galt home and lasted through Thursday. Weinrich's girlfriend called police at 11:30 p.m. Thursday, Uptegrove said.

Sacramento Police Department spokesman Sgt. Norm Leong confirmed that Weinrich is an officer with that department and said he has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the case.

"We take the allegations seriously and we'll be conducting a concurrent internal investigation," Leong said.

That internal investigation will determine what, if any, administrative policies were broken while also monitoring the Galt Police Department's criminal investigation, Leong said. He said it's too early to say what would happen to Weinrich if he were found guilty of the allegations against him.

Uptegrove said Galt police officers arrived at the couple's home Thursday night and the girlfriend told them that Weinrich had "physically shoved her down" and brandished his service weapon when they'd fought the day before.

Uptegrove said officers found physical evidence of injury on the woman, but she did not need medical attention.

She also told officers that Weinrich left their home that night, and the couple patched things up when he returned the next morning, Uptegrove said. At some point Thursday, they drove together to a home Weinrich owns in Roseville and began arguing again during the drive, the lieutenant said.

Several times, the girlfriend told police, she tried to get out of the car when they were stopped at an intersection, but Weinrich "held on to her and wouldn't let her leave," Uptegrove said.

Weinrich eventually let go and she left, Uptegrove said. She told officers that she walked to his Roseville home, and the couple returned together to Galt. Weinrich left some time before his girlfriend called police and officers arrived, Uptegrove said.

Galt officers contacted Roseville police, who reached Weinrich at his home there and arrested him about 3 a.m., Uptegrove said.

The domestic violence charge stems from the allegation that Weinrich pushed his girlfriend to the ground, Uptegrove said. The kidnapping and false imprisonment charges stem from the allegation that he would not let her leave the car when she tried, according to the lieutenant.

Uptegrove said Galt police had never before been called to the couple's home.

Booking records indicate Weinrich is scheduled to appear in court Monday.

Weinrich is the son of decorated police Sgt. Steve Weinrich, who is still with the department. The elder Weinrich was shot in the thigh in 1999 as he and other officers tried to arrest a parolee wanted in connection with a 35-day crime spree that included two murders.

That parolee, David Scott Daniels, was taken into custody and eventually was convicted of the two murders and the attempted murder of Weinrich, whose badge was cut by a bullet. In 2001, Daniels was sentenced to death by lethal injection.