Off-duty San Rafael cop accused of gun threat Petaluma

An off-duty San Rafael police officer has been arrested for allegedly threatening a man with a gun on New Year's Eve at a Petaluma restaurant, authorities said Wednesday.

Police Cpl. Michael Augustus, 43, of Petaluma was arrested about 9 p.m. Friday after witnesses identified him as the person who pulled a gun on the man outside the Kabuki Restaurant and Sushi Bar on Petaluma Boulevard North, police said.

The man told police that he had been seated at a table in the restaurant when Augustus bumped into him, "seemingly on purpose," said Petaluma police Lt. Mike Cook.

Augustus "yelled several obscenities at the victim" and walked outside, Cook said. The man got up and followed Augustus, police said.

The two men began yelling at and pushing each other, Cook said. Augustus then allegedly pulled a semiautomatic pistol from his waistband and pointed it at the other man's head.

The man backed away. Augustus fled, but Petaluma police found him running near Liberty Street a short time later, his gun in his waistband, Cook said.

Augustus was not on duty at the time, Cook said. It was not known if the pistol was his service weapon.

Augustus was booked at Sonoma County Jail on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, a felony. He has been released on $50,000 bail.

Augustus has been on the San Rafael police force for 16 years. The department has placed him on paid administrative leave pending an internal investigation, said Margo Rohrbacher, a police spokeswoman.