Clark County Sheriff’s Office: Man climbed into Hazel Dell Starbucks’ ceiling, flooding business, damaging salon next door

A man was arrested Wednesday morning after Clark County sheriff’s deputies say he climbed into the ceiling of a Starbucks Coffee store in Hazel Dell, flooding the business and damaging a Great Clips hair salon next door.

Deputies responded at about 9:45 a.m. to 7720 N.E. Highway 99 after Starbucks employees reported an unwanted man had been in the restroom for about 40 minutes. Employees requested the man be removed, according to a sheriff’s office news release.

Deputies spent about a half-hour trying to convince the man to leave the restroom. Instead, he climbed into the ceiling, damaging the ceiling tiles. He then gained access to Great Clips by breaking through a firewall in the ceiling, the sheriff’s office said.

The damage prompted employees and customers to evacuate; one Great Clips customer was mid-haircut at the time, the sheriff’s office reported.

Deputies used a pepper-ball — a less-lethal, chemical irritant — after the man continued to refuse their commands. At one point, the man damaged the fire sprinkler system, flooding Starbucks, according to the sheriff’s office.

Clark County Fire District 6 responded to assist with a ladder and to help reset the fire alarm and shut off the water.

Finally, after deputies deployed more pepper-balls, the man complied and climbed down through the ceiling. He was taken into custody without further incident, the sheriff’s office said.

Authorities did not identify the man. He was taken to the Clark County Jail and booked on suspicion of multiple counts of felony malicious mischief, criminal trespass and resisting arrest, the sheriff’s office said.

Both Starbucks and Great Clips had to close temporarily due to the damage.