One of three suspects charged Tuesday in connection with a New Year's Eve home invasion robbery in Tustin in which a woman was pistol-whipped was tracked to Long Beach, authorities said.
The intruders -- which included a parolee who had been deported -- entered the home in the 15500 block of Williams Street about 9 p.m. Dec. 31, Tustin Police Department Sgt. Jeff Blair said.
As the men attacked the woman, who was later treated at a hospital, another woman who went unnoticed by the suspects managed to call 911, Blair said.
The robbers, who took $200, ran out of the house and into a getaway car just as officers arrived, Blair said.
A high-speed chase ensued, but police aborted the pursuit for safety reasons when the suspects' vehicle veered into oncoming traffic, he said.
The officers found the car abandoned in the 500 block of North Lyon Street in Santa Ana, noticed the license plate was altered with electrical tape and traced the car to Jose Zendejas, 31, of Santa Ana, Blair said.
Police ended up arresting Zendejas on Saturday at his girlfriend's home in Long Beach, Blair said.
Ernesto Garcia, 31, was arrested Saturday as he left a warehouse in a Santa Ana
industrial park where he was living. Alberto Penaloza, 32, was arrested Sunday at a Santa Ana home that police had under surveillance. Penaloza left the residence, he saw the officers and ran, but was arrested a short distance away, Blair said.
At the Santa Ana home police recovered a loaded 9mm handgun that investigators suspect was used to pistol-whip the woman in the home invasion, Blair said. The weapon was reported stolen in a 2004 Santa Ana burglary, he said.
Penaloza had been deported after being paroled for a prior crime and is back in the United States illegally, Blair said.
Penaloza's 23-year-old roommate Mayra Dosal, was also arrested on suspicion of drug charges, but has not been linked to the robbery, Blair said.
Zendejas is charged with first-degree robbery, evading police and reckless driving, and faces a sentence-enhancing allegation of being armed with a firearm while committing a felony, according to court records.
Garcia is charged with first-degree robbery and assault with a firearm, and faces the
same sentencing enhancement as Zendejas.
Penaloza is charged with robbery, assault with a firearm, possession of a firearm by
a felon, possession of a controlled substance with the intent to sell and possession
of a controlled substance while armed with a firearm.
Penaloza also faces a gun-use sentencing enhancement and an active warrant for his arrest
on drug charges, Blair added.
The intruders -- which included a parolee who had been deported -- entered the home in the 15500 block of Williams Street about 9 p.m. Dec. 31, Tustin Police Department Sgt. Jeff Blair said.
As the men attacked the woman, who was later treated at a hospital, another woman who went unnoticed by the suspects managed to call 911, Blair said.
The robbers, who took $200, ran out of the house and into a getaway car just as officers arrived, Blair said.
A high-speed chase ensued, but police aborted the pursuit for safety reasons when the suspects' vehicle veered into oncoming traffic, he said.
The officers found the car abandoned in the 500 block of North Lyon Street in Santa Ana, noticed the license plate was altered with electrical tape and traced the car to Jose Zendejas, 31, of Santa Ana, Blair said.
Police ended up arresting Zendejas on Saturday at his girlfriend's home in Long Beach, Blair said.
Ernesto Garcia, 31, was arrested Saturday as he left a warehouse in a Santa Ana
industrial park where he was living. Alberto Penaloza, 32, was arrested Sunday at a Santa Ana home that police had under surveillance. Penaloza left the residence, he saw the officers and ran, but was arrested a short distance away, Blair said.
At the Santa Ana home police recovered a loaded 9mm handgun that investigators suspect was used to pistol-whip the woman in the home invasion, Blair said. The weapon was reported stolen in a 2004 Santa Ana burglary, he said.
Penaloza had been deported after being paroled for a prior crime and is back in the United States illegally, Blair said.
Penaloza's 23-year-old roommate Mayra Dosal, was also arrested on suspicion of drug charges, but has not been linked to the robbery, Blair said.
Zendejas is charged with first-degree robbery, evading police and reckless driving, and faces a sentence-enhancing allegation of being armed with a firearm while committing a felony, according to court records.
Garcia is charged with first-degree robbery and assault with a firearm, and faces the
same sentencing enhancement as Zendejas.
Penaloza is charged with robbery, assault with a firearm, possession of a firearm by
a felon, possession of a controlled substance with the intent to sell and possession
of a controlled substance while armed with a firearm.
Penaloza also faces a gun-use sentencing enhancement and an active warrant for his arrest
on drug charges, Blair added.
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