A 28-year-old man arrested for allegedly attacking a police officer in Whittier over the weekend was subsequently determined to be a suspect in the beating death of a transient in a Montebello parking lot last month, authorities said Wednesday.
Eric Daniel Deleon of Los Angeles is accused of attacking an officer who responded to a call of a suspicious person about 4 p.m. Saturday in the 7900 block of Bright Avenue, according to Whittier police.
Deleon allegedly fought the officer, who was the first on scene, throwing a metal barbecue set on him and striking him with a chair during the struggle.
Other officers arrived and one of them was injured as Deleon allegedly continued to resist efforts to be taken into custody.
The suspect was ultimately subdued, and two officers were transported for hospital treatment of minor to moderate injuries, according to police.
Deleon was also taken to a hospital for medical clearance prior to being booked on suspicion of felony obstruction, assault with a deadly weapon and attempted murder, police said.
Deleon was being sought at the time of the weekend attack in connection with the killing of 54-year-old Fabian Ramirez, who was found beaten to death about 12:15 p.m. on Nov. 23 in a parking lot at 308 S. Vail Ave. in Montebello, authorities said.
Another suspect in the killing, 33-year-old Martin Bautista of Pico Rivera, was arrested on Nov. 25 and booked on suspicion of murder and remains jailed awaiting a court appearance.
Witnesses told police they saw two men running from the area where Ramirez was found. He died of head injuries, coroner’s Assistant Chief Ed Winter said.
Deleon, who has not yet been charged in the Ramirez case, is due in court in Norwalk on Dec. 15, when a date could be set for a preliminary hearing on charges of attempted murder of a police officer and assault on a police officer in connection with Saturday’s attack.
He’s being held at the Men’s Central Jail in downtown Los Angeles in lieu of $1.08 million bail, according to sheriff’s online inmate records.
Bautista is being held in lieu of $1.05 million bail, also at the Men’s Central Jail, and is due in court in downtown Los Angeles on Dec. 16, according to the sheriff’s department.
— City News Service