MONROVIA >> A Monrovia man armed with a statue knocked out a home-invasion robber as he held the man’s elderly father at knifepoint Friday, police said.
Eric Castillo, 23, who is believed to stay in Monrovia, was ultimately booked on suspicion of robbery after being treated for his injuries, according to Monrovia police officials and Los Angeles County booking records.
The incident unfolded about 2 a.m. at a home in the 800 block of Monterey Avenue, Monrovia police Sgt. Daniel Verna said.
The elderly resident answered a knock at their door, Lt. Jaime Alfaro said. Castillo brandished a knife, demanded all his money and forced his way into the home.
“The son comes downstairs and sees his (father) getting held up with a knife. He grabs a bowling ball-size glass statue,” Verna said.
“He slams it into the back of (Castillo’s) head and knocks him down.”
The son struck the intruder several more times until he was knocked unconscious, the sergeant said. The son was described as a man in his 50s.
One, or possibly more, accomplices of the suspect soon began trying to force their way into the home after realizing Castillo was not coming back, Verna said. But the father and son had already locked the doors, and the additional suspect or suspects fled when the family told them police were on their way.
Castillo told police only his girlfriend had accompanied him to the home, but the victims believed at least two additional suspects may have been outside their house.
Officers arrived and took Castillo into custody, Verna said. The family told the subdued suspect they would pray for him prior to the arrival of police, he added.
Castillo was being held in lieu of $100,000 bail pending a scheduled arraignment Tuesday in Pasadena Superior Court, records show.