Los Angeles police Thursday released the name of a detective who shot and wounded a kidnapping and carjacking suspect last month near County-USC Medical Center after the man fled from custody.
Detective David Meza, a 26-year Los Angeles Police Department veteran, shot Freddy Bailon, 36, about 3:30 p.m. on Sept. 28.
Bailon, who remains in custody, was scheduled to be arraigned on 10 felony counts on Oct. 27.
Police say that Meza and a patrol officer partner had taken Bailon, who had been arrested a day earlier on suspicion of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a teenage girl, for a medical examination at a building within the medical center.
“While in the reception area of the building, the handcuffs were removed from Bailon so he could complete some required forms,” according to an LAPD statement. “Bailon suddenly ran from the building, pursued by the detective and officer.”
Bailon ran to Zonal Avenue, where he opened the front passenger door and entered an SUV stopped on the road, police said.
“Bailon punched the woman driving the SUV and demanded she drive him from the location,” according to the LAPD. “The woman was able to escape her SUV and run from Bailon.”
Bailon got behind the wheel “and intentionally collided twice with a construction vehicle which had pulled into the roadway to block (his) path,” police said.
Meza fired one round, and when Meza put the SUV into reverse, he fired a second time, police said.
“Bailon accelerated and struck a parkway where he collided with several trees,” police said.
Officers called paramedics for Bailon, who was taken to a hospital to be treated for wounds to his right forearm and shoulder.
“Bailon has a lengthy criminal history which includes several convictions for violent offenses,” police said.
Bailon is being held without bail at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in downtown Los Angeles, according to sheriff’s inmate records.
He faces more than 30 years in state prison if convicted of the charges, which include kidnapping, making criminal threats, forcible rape and committing a lewd act on a child, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
–City News Service