Police Monday identified a parolee who was arrested after he allegedly attacked a Torrance resident who interrupted the suspect burglarizing his home.
Joseph Valdes of Lomita, who was already on parole for an assault conviction, was arrested about 1:30 p.m. last Thursday. The resident was treated by firefighters following the confrontation, which took place about three hours earlier in the 1900 block of 236th Street, near Western Avenue, according to Torrance police Sgt. Ronald Harris.
Valdes allegedly armed himself with a shovel and assaulted the resident before taking the keys to the victim’s vehicle, Harris said.
“The subject attempted to flee in the victim’s vehicle, but was unable to maneuver around other parked vehicles,” according to the sergeant. “The subject then abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot.”
Police conducted a methodical search — involving officers, dogs and drones — that included Knoll’s Lodge at 23701 S. Western Ave. and Valdes was taken into custody about 1:30 p.m., Harris said.
Harris credited an alert neighbor for calling police after observing suspicious activity.
Valdes was being held in lieu of $100,000 bail, according to sheriff’s inmate records.