NORWALK >> A Pico Rivera man accused of fatally stabbing a tow truck driver as he replaced his mother’s minivan battery appeared in court Friday and denied a murder charge, officials said.
Tobias Ruben Cabrera, a 40-year-old transient, pleaded not guilty in Norwalk Superior Court to one count of murder in connection with the June 2 stabbing of Raymond Zabala, 35, of East Los Angeles, Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office spokesman Ricardo Santiago said.
The fatal stabbing occurred after Zabala, a tow truck driver for AAA contractor Petra Towing & Auto Repair in Montebello, arrived at the home of Cabrera’s mother in the 8200 block of Buhman Avenue to replace the battery on her Honda Odyssey, Los Angeles County sheriff’s investigators said.
Following the seemingly unprovoked attack, Zabala ran to a neighboring home to seek help but ultimately succumbed to his wounds at the scene, authorities said. Cabrera allegedly fled the scene on a bicycle before being apprehended three days later.
Friday was Cabrera’s second arraignment. After initially pleading not guilty to murder shortly after his arrest, a judge determined Sept. 11 that there is sufficient evidence to order Cabrera to stand trial.
Cabrera, who had prior criminal convictions and is accused of the special allegation of personally using a knife in the killing, faces 37 years to life in state prison if convicted as charged.
He was ordered back to Norwalk Superior Court Oct. 26 for a pretrial hearing.