Man beaten and carjacked outside West Covina VFW
WEST COVINA - Officers are looking for a man clad in blue who beat and carjacked a 63-year-old driver after he left a Veterans of Foreign Wars post Thursday.
West Covina police Lt. Marty Sevilla said the victim, a Temple City resident, ended up with lacerations to his face and a swollen left eye.
He also had difficulty breathing and was taken to Citrus Valley Medical Center, Queen of the Valley campus, but was expected to be okay, police said.
The man had left the VFW, 2328 West Merced Avenue, about 4:30 p.m. and was sitting in his 1991 Toyota Camry when a man walked up to the car and demanded money, Sgt. David Lee said.
The driver told the suspect he didn't have money.
The attacker pulled open the driver's side door, punched the driver in the face and yanked him out of the car, Sevilla said. The suspect continued to punch and also kicked the 63-year-old.
He then drove off with the car.
On Friday morning, "We recovered that car over off of (the 200 block of South) Bandy Avenue," Lee said. It was taken back to the police station for forensic examination.
Police Friday continued their investigation, talking to residents near where the car was found and checking for any potentially useful surveillance camera footage.
The carjacker was described as a Latino, about 30, between 5 feet 7 inches and 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighing between 160 to 180 pounds. He wore sunglasses, a blue shirt, blue pants and a blue hat.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to call West Covina police at 626-939-8500.
West Covina police Lt. Marty Sevilla said the victim, a Temple City resident, ended up with lacerations to his face and a swollen left eye.
He also had difficulty breathing and was taken to Citrus Valley Medical Center, Queen of the Valley campus, but was expected to be okay, police said.
The man had left the VFW, 2328 West Merced Avenue, about 4:30 p.m. and was sitting in his 1991 Toyota Camry when a man walked up to the car and demanded money, Sgt. David Lee said.
The driver told the suspect he didn't have money.
The attacker pulled open the driver's side door, punched the driver in the face and yanked him out of the car, Sevilla said. The suspect continued to punch and also kicked the 63-year-old.
He then drove off with the car.
On Friday morning, "We recovered that car over off of (the 200 block of South) Bandy Avenue," Lee said. It was taken back to the police station for forensic examination.
Police Friday continued their investigation, talking to residents near where the car was found and checking for any potentially useful surveillance camera footage.
The carjacker was described as a Latino, about 30, between 5 feet 7 inches and 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighing between 160 to 180 pounds. He wore sunglasses, a blue shirt, blue pants and a blue hat.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to call West Covina police at 626-939-8500.
CONTRIBUTORS
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| Frank Girardot, Metro Editor for the San Gabriel Valley Newspapers, brings you behind the yellow tape with takes on true crime, cold cases and more. This is also your forum to discuss crime, its impact on your neighborhood and how we cover it. Have any questions or tips? You can leave a comment here or e-mail Frank. |
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Brian Day is the crime reporter for the San Gabriel Valley Newspaper group. E-mail Brian. |
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