Jury disagrees in attempted murder trial of Pismo Beach police officer

20 September 2024

By KAREN VELIE

The trial of a man accused of attempting to murder a Pismo Beach police officer ended Thursday without a jury agreement on two counts: attempted murder and resisting a police officer. Eleven jurors found guilty and one not guilty.

If all twelve jurors cannot unanimously agree whether someone is innocent or guilty, the jury is deadlocked. In this case, the jury found 48-year-old Charles Ammons guilty on six counts, including: assaulting a police officer with a semi-automatic weapon, carrying a loaded handgun, and driving while intoxicated.

Because the jury could not agree on two counts, prosecutors can either decide to try Ammons a second time or she can plead guilty to six counts.

While charges are pending for another arrest, an intoxicated Ammons was driving his van on Pomeroy Avenue on April 15, 2022, when a Pismo Beach police officer attempted to pull him over for a code violation. When Officer Chris Siglin opened the driver's door of the van, Ammons pointed a semi-automatic pistol at Siglin's head and fired, but the gun malfunctioned because the ammunition was loaded backwards.

At the time of the traffic stop, Ammons' blood alcohol level was 0.218 percent, more than twice the legal limit. This was Ammons' third arrest for drunk driving, following arrests in 2013 and 2016.

When the weapon failed, Siglin and Ammons got into a confrontation and fell into the back of the van.

Ammons was charged with attempted murder of a police officer, assault on a peace officer with a semi-automatic weapon, carrying a loaded handgun not registered to him, possession of a concealed firearm not registered to him, driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, and public intoxication, as well as several enhanced penalties.

Ammon's attorney, Christina DiEdoardo, argued in court that her client did not try to kill the officer and there was no evidence he pulled the trigger. She claimed the clicking sound police officers said could have come from a bang during the struggle.