Los Angeles

Man Pleads No Contest to Fatal Stabbing of AAA Driver

A 41-year-old man pleaded no contest Tuesday to fatally stabbing an AAA driver who was helping the defendant's mother in Pico Rivera last year.

Tobias Ruben Cabrera is facing 15 years to life in state prison when he is sentenced Jan. 31 for the June 2, 2015 killing of Raymond Zabala, who was attacked in the 8400 block of Buhman Avenue after replacing the battery on the woman's car.

Cabrera also admitted that he had a prior conviction for corporal injury with great bodily injury to a spouse/cohabitant/child's parent in 2001, which will result in an additional five-year prison term.

Cabrera walked up to the 35-year-old AAA driver and asked what was going on before attacking him, then rode away on a bike after the stabbing, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.

Authorities have not determined a motive for the attack.

Zabala went to a neighboring home to seek help, but died near the crime scene, authorities said.

Cabrera was arrested three days later by Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies. He has remained in jail since then.

Copyright CNS - City News Service
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