WOODLAND — An attorney for UC Davis student Nicholas Benson entered not guilty pleas today (Jan. 26) on his client’s behalf, saying Benson “was more of a danger to himself than to others” when city of Davis police arrested him on weapons charges last Friday.

After his arraignment in Yolo County Superior Court, the 25-year-old Benson went back to jail here, held in lieu of $1 million bail.

The Yolo County district attorney’s office filed a three-count complaint charging Benson with possession of an assault weapon and resisting arrest, both felonies, and carrying a loaded weapon in public, a misdemeanor. The charge of resisting arrest carries an enhancement, namely that he allegedly resisted arrest while in possession of an assault weapon.

The district attorney’s office did not file a charge of making terrorist threats, as alleged at the time of Benson's booking.

City police took Benson into custody at Fourth and A streets, in the vicinity of Toomey Field at the east edge of the campus. In his nearby truck, police said, they found a loaded rifle with a telescopic sight, and a loaded shotgun. Officers said they also found hundreds of rounds of rifle ammunition in Benson’s possession.

“This was a case where he was more of a danger to himself than to others,” Benson’s attorney, Steve Sabbadini, said outside court after his client's 1:30 p.m. arraignment.

City police used a Taser in arresting the 25-year-old Benson. Officers began searching for him around 6 p.m. after hearing from a family member who said Benson was distraught and suicidal, according to a news release from the Police Department.

'Essentially just a meltdown'

"Essentially (it was) just a meltdown that has to be addressed,” Sabbadini said.

UC Davis officials identified Benson as a senior communication major, and said he had enrolled for the winter quarter. The officials added that Benson first enrolled at UC Davis in the fall of 2005.

Benson entered the courtroom in handcuffs and leg shackles, wearing a gray-and-white striped Yolo County Jail jumpsuit. He is due back in court at 9 a.m. Friday, Feb. 4, at which time Sabbadini will attempt to secure Benson’s release on his own recognizance.

Sabbadini said he would ask the court to release Benson from jail, and put him instead in a locked facility where he can be evaluated and treated.

Benson’s psychiatrist “believes that would be in his best interests, and so do I," the Woodland attorney said earlier in addressing court Commissioner Janene Beronio.

The Davis Police Department news release, issued Jan. 22, said officers had received information that Benson was possibly armed with a rifle and had threatened to kill others. The news release added: “Based on information police received at that time, Benson had not targeted anyone specific.”

UC Davis Police Chief Annette Spicuzza said the family member of Benson’s who called police last Friday averted “what could possibly have been a very tragic situation.”

“We want to reiterate to our community that if something doesn’t look or sound right, call us,” Spicuzza said.

The city Police Department, in its news release, said officers made attempts to negotiate with Benson on his cell phone — to no avail.

Officers located him standing by his pickup and ordered him to surrender. But he resisted, the news release stated, and headed straight for his vehicle.

“Just as Benson entered the cab of his pickup truck, officers used a Taser and other nonlethal measures to subdue him and take him into custody,” the news release stated.

Campus resources

UC Davis offers a broad range of services to help members of the campus community who are in crisis, along with a comprehensive emergency preparedness and warning system:

• The Student Crisis Response Team coordinates campus resources to protect campus safety and find help for students who could potentially harm themselves or others.

Read a Q&A with Donald Dudley, then-associate director of Student Judicial Affairs and now the interim director, who helps lead the Student Crisis Response Team, from the January 2010 edition of Aggie Family Pack, a newsletter for the parents of UC Davis students.

Listen to Dudley on Capital Public Radio's Insight program on Jan. 13, 2011 (13 minutes, 54 seconds).

• Counseling and Psychological Services

• CAPS emergency resources for individuals expressing clear and imminent danger to self, or ambiguous danger

• Academic and Staff Assistance Program

• WarnMe: UC Davis’ emergency alert system (sign up or update your contact information)

• Workplace violence

• Active shooter training