Austin Green

Man Suspected of Dragging Victim With SUV Charged With Attempted Murder

Police are still looking for additional witnesses from the hit-and-run incident that left the victim hospitalized.

A 25-year-old accused of running down and dragging a woman about 40 yards with his SUV, after being confronted about a theft, was charged Thursday with attempted murder.

The woman suffered head injuries and severe damage to skin that required grafting. Her family identified her as Chelsea, 26, and requested that her last name not be used to protect her privacy.

The accused, Arturo Suarez, 25, of Santa Ana, was also charged with second-degree burglary, assault with a deadly weapon and failing to stop at a hit-and-run collision with injury, all felonies.

He faces sentencing enhancements for attempted premeditated murder and inflicting great bodily injury as well as two misdemeanor counts of driving without a valid license.

A week ago, Suarez allegedly stole an employee's purse from a counter in the lobby of a family run engineering business in southwest Santa Ana, according to Police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna.

The purse belonged to Chelsea's sister Alicia, she said. The thief got away, but witnesses got the license plate number of the getaway SUV.

At about 11:15 a.m. Monday, Alicia noticed the SUV returning to the industrial neighborhood. She called police, then moved her own car to where the SUV had parked, attempting to hem it in so it could not be moved until police arrived. She was joined by the company's safety officer, Keith Fujimoto, who confronted the driver and told him police were coming. The driver then jockeyed the SUV back and forth to pull out from the curb, nearly striking Alicia, they said. Chelsea had come outside to check, and was standing in the roadway when she was struck by the SUV.

"He could have gone around her.  He could have avoided her," said brother Andrew. 

"He tried to kill my sister," said Alicia.

When the SUV driver finally stopped, he backed up, leaving Chelsea in seizures on the pavement, and then drove off. There was also a woman passenger in the SUV, the witnesses said. Suarez was later located by police and arrested.

Suarez also faces a prior case of possession of drugs in jail, according to court records. Suarez pleaded guilty to second-degree robbery April 26 and was sentenced to 908 days in jail and was placed on five years of formal probation. He was released immediately because he had racked up that much time served in custody awaiting trial.

In May, an arrest warrant was issued for Suarez because he failed to show for a residential drug treatment program and had "absconded supervision," according to court records.

The robbery occurred Jan. 28 of last year. He pleaded guilty in December 2012 to unlawful taking of a vehicle and participating in gang activity, both felonies. He was sentenced to seven years in prison.

He pleaded guilty in September 2009 to being a convict in possession of a gun while on probation and was sentenced to two years in prison, according to court records. He also admitted a sentencing enhancement for gang activity.

Thursday's arraignment was continued. Suarez has yet to enter a plea.

Copyright CNS - City News Service
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