A 59-year-old Long Beach resident who bashed a friend with a milk crate during a fight, leading to the man’s death, pleaded no contest Monday to voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Riccardo Gonzalez Rangel also admitted to using the milk crate as a deadly weapon against 38-year-old David Garcia, Deputy District Attorney Tapti Patel said.
On June 21, 2015, Rangel and Garcia got into an argument that turned physical. Prosecutors said Rangel hit Garcia with the milk crate several times and the victim fell and hit his head.
Garcia was paralyzed and comatose due to a brain injury and remained hospitalized until his death more than six months later, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Rangel has been jailed since the day of the attack.
–City News Service