Four people have been charged in connection with a fight last month near the Santa Monica Pier, when authorities say a vendor began sexually assaulting several women.
The Santa Monica Police Department announced over the weekend that prosecutors have filed charges against four men and sexual assault charges against one of them. Authorities are still seeking more information about the incident.
On the evening of June 29, police responded to a 911 call about several people fighting near the pier. According to police, one person was also injured.
Before officers arrived on the scene, a Santa Monica police drone confirmed that a fight was taking place. Initially, Police told the Times That was the “internecine warfare situation” in the arena near the 14th rescue tower.
But police said the fight began when the vendor, identified by authorities as Efigenio Tacuba, 30, allegedly approached a group of beachgoers and “sexually assaulted several women.” After confronting other members of the group, Takuba sought help from other vendors. Other vendors were armed with umbrella poles, belts and at least one knife.
In this conflict, one person was injured with a knife and another suffered a broken leg. Both were taken to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries.
At the time, police said in a social media post that five people had been arrested. The board said four people were charged. Three of them — Jorge Cruz Murcia, Samuel Manzanares Hernandez and Oscar Samuel Hernandez — each face two counts of assault with a deadly weapon. Fourth, Takuba faces those charges, as well as three counts of sexual assault.
according California law The type of sexual assault charge Takuba faces is defined as touching “another person’s private part” against their will for the purpose of sexual stimulation.
In a recent statement, authorities said more arrests were “likely” to be made. Anyone with information or video of the incident is asked to contact Detective Jacob Holloway by email or call the shift commander at (310) 458-8427.
The incident occurred a few weeks later. Two German tourists were injured and a third person was injured in apparently unprovoked attacks near the Santa Monica Pier. In this case, a suspect was arrested in late May.
Three days before the altercation, a Santa Monica man allegedly attacked three women on the beach and tried to strangle a 17-year-old girl before attacking and biting a woman who tried to help him. He also allegedly dragged a 72-year-old woman into the ocean and pushed her underwater.
That man Young Dwayne Garnett The 32-year-old man was charged with two counts of attempted murder and several other offences.
