Merced man arrested on outdated warrant files claim for damages

The Merced County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday is expected to reject a claim for damages filed by a man who was declared innocent of murder in 2014 and arrested again last month after an apparent clerical error made an old warrant appear valid.

A claim for damages was filed by Jacob Logan Tellez, who alleges that he was arrested in July 2014 under false pretenses and subjected to false imprisonment and malicious prosecution until December. The claim for an unspecified amount includes physical and emotional injury, economic losses, loss of future earnings and a violation of his civil rights.

Tellez was a co-defendant in a case involving Ethan Morse, the son of Merced County District Attorney Larry Morse II. The judge in November made a formal factual finding that Tellez did not fire a gun in an Atwater killing in March 2013. Morse’s son was accused of being the getaway driver but was also cleared.

Tellez was arrested again last month – just two days after he filed his claim against the county – in what the Merced County Sheriff’s Department said was an error. The warrant for Tellez’s arrest was only cleared from the sheriff’s system under one of Tellez’s last names, not both, the department said.

The Board of Supervisors is advised to reject Tellez’s claim because it was filed later than six months after the initial incident, county documents show.

The county’s lawyer, James Fincher, and risk management recommended to the board to reject three claims for damages.

Candice and Michael Dizney, in an unrelated claim, allege that in January their car was hit in Ceres by a vehicle driven by a Merced County sheriff’s employee. The couple is seeking more than $50,000 for physical injuries and other damages.

The Board of Supervisors also will consider whether to grant a contract to Self Help Enterprises to provide emergency water supplies to households with dry wells. Earlier this month, the board adopted the Merced County Water Distribution Plan to operate the program. Funding for the program was granted through the California Disaster Assistance Act. Self Help would install and maintain temporary water distribution for county residents if granted the contract.

Also on the agenda is a contract for $53,000 with the district attorney to investigate welfare fraud.

This story was originally published July 20, 2015 at 3:28 PM with the headline "Merced man arrested on outdated warrant files claim for damages."