Modesto official claims ex-worker threatened to kill him. City seeks restraining order
Modesto is seeking a workplace violence restraining order against a former employee who the city’s public works director says threatened to kill him May 24 as the director walked downtown during his lunch break, according to court records.
Public Works Director Bill Sandhu wrote in a court declaration the former employee followed him in his pickup truck while threatening him; drove the truck onto the sidewalk, blocking Sandhu; and later got out of his pickup and physically blocked Sandhu from crossing the street.
Sandhu wrote that the former employee said he was going to kill him.
The city sought and was issued a temporary workplace violence restraining order May 31 against Allen Garan in Stanislaus County Superior Court. Sandhu wrote the declaration in support of the city’s petition for the order.
The order states Garan cannot have any contact with Sandhu, cannot annoy or harass Sandhu, and must stay at least 100 yards from Sandhu, his place of employment, his vehicle and his home.
Sandhu called 911, and Modesto police arrested Garan on suspicion of resisting arrest, making threatening statements and possession of an unlawful baton, according to the declaration. The declaration states officers searching Garan’s pickup found a metal baton.
Garan declined to comment and referred questions to his attorney, who did not respond to a message left with his office.
Garan, 50, had worked as a city electrician before retiring in November 2019. He was part of a three-person crew installing a streetlight pole in April 2018 that made contact with power lines, electrocuting one of the crew members, electrician assistant Tyrone Hairston.
The city placed Garan and his co-worker and their supervisor on paid leave April 2019 after a review of an investigation and report of the accident. The review detailed deficiencies in training, safety measures and other critical areas. The city concluded its investigation November 2019.
Garan retired shortly before that, a city official said at the time, though the declaration states Garan was terminated. The supervisor had retired in August. And the city said it was firing the co-worker. (A city official confirmed Wednesday that the co-worker and supervisor no longer work for Modesto.)
The temporary restraining order against Garan stays in place until a June 21 hearing in Superior Court in which the city will seek the workplace violence restraining order.
Judge John R. Mayne issued the temporary order and will preside over the June 21 hearing. Garan can appear at the hearing and oppose the city’s request for the restraining order.
Order could last three years
If Mayne issues the order, he can do so for as long as three years.
Sandhu states in the declaration that he was walking on the south side of K and 14th streets — a few blocks from Tenth Street Place, the city-county administration center — when Garan spotted him crossing the intersection.
Sandhu claims in the declaration that Garan “began to yell at me from his truck and stated, ‘You remember me? I’m Allen. You fired me.’” Sandhu claims Garan called him a coward and said, “I’m going to kill you.”
Sandhu states Garan drove next to him as Sandhu walked east along K Street while yelling at him. Sandhu said Garan then sped up and drove across the sidewalk, blocking Sandhu’s path. He claims Garan got out of the truck, continued to yell, and said, “I’m here now. I wanna deal with it now.”
Sandhu said he believed he was in danger of being killed or suffering serious injury and started walking south on 14th Street toward a more populated area of downtown, with the goal of returning to Tenth Street Place.
Sandhu said Garan continued to follow him in his truck along J Street and continued to yell at him. Sandhu stated in his declaration that as he approached 11th and J streets across from Tenth Street Place, Garan cut him off at the intersection.
Garan “got out of his truck and physically blocked me from crossing the street while continuing to yell at me in a loud and aggressive manner,” according to the declaration. Sandhu states that people at the coffee shop across the street were alarmed and people in Tenth Street Place could hear Garan yelling at him.
Official declines to comment
Sandhu states he eventually reached Tenth Street Place and called 911.
Sandhu declined to comment for this story. His LinkedIn profile states he has worked for Modesto for more than 18 years, including more than eight years as public works director.
Criminal charges have not been filed against Garan in this incident, according to the Superior Court website. District Attorney’s Office spokesman John Goold said the office is reviewing police reports from the arrest.
The Modesto Police Department sought and was issued May 25 a gun violence emergency protective order against Garan.
The order states Garan owns a 12-gauge shotgun and he was required to turn it over to authorities within 24 hours of being served the order, which occurred May 26. The order ends June 15 unless a judge extends it at a June 14 hearing. The order can be in place for as long as a year.
A state agency issued four citations and a $39,750 penalty against Modesto in February 2019 for safety violations in the electrocution of Hairston, the electrician assistant.
Modesto appealed the findings from the investigation by the Division of Occupational Safety and Health, better known as Cal/OSHA. The status of the appeal was not immediately available from Cal/OSHA and the city.
This story was originally published June 2, 2022 at 9:24 AM.
