News

The two suspects in a Fourth of July assault of a Black man on Eureka's waterfront in which he reported being called a racial slur have been arrested.

According to a Humboldt County Sheriff's Office release, Joseph Bradley Boxell, 20, was arrested July 25 by a deputy who initiated a suspicious vehicle check at 9:42 a.m. on Sprowl Creek Road near Tooby Memorial Park while on patrol in the Garberville area.

The release states Boxell, who was with a teenage girl, initially gave the deputy a false name. Once identified, he was arrested on the warrants the Eureka Police Department had issued earlier this month for suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and assault by force causing great bodily injury.

Boxell was also arrested on suspicion of a probation violation and giving a false identification to a peace officer, according to the sheriff's office.  The teenager with him was released at the scene.

Another warrant on suspicion of assault by force causing great bodily injury was issued for 21-year-old Dylan Cody Olivas in connection with the Eureka case.


Witnesses to the Eureka assault or anyone with additional information is asked to contact Officer Spencer Barrett at [email protected] or 707-441-4060.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.

On July 25, 2022, at about 9:42 a.m., Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies on patrol in the Garberville area conducted a suspicious vehicle investigation on Sprowl Creek Road near Tooby Memorial Park.

Deputies located a man and a teenage female inside the vehicle. The man, later identified as 20-year-old Joseph Bradley Boxell, initially provided deputies with a false name.

Upon confirming his identity, Boxell was found to have an outstanding PC 836 warrant for his arrest. Boxell was taken into custody and booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of false identification to a peace officer (PC 148.9(a)) and violation of probation (PC 1203.2(a)), in addition to warrant charges for assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) and assault by force likely to produce great bodily injury (PC 245(a)(4)).

The female was released at the scene.

Anyone with information about this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.