A 37-year-old man previously convicted of an unprovoked attack on a cellmate in Garden Grove’s jail pleaded guilty Wednesday to attacking a driver in Anaheim with a metal pole and was sentenced to six years in prison.
Nikolas Robert Poole attacked a 69-year-old man in a car, who was stopped at a traffic light near Brookhurst Street and Lincoln Avenue, about 11:15 a.m. March 20, 2025, Anaheim Police Department Sgt. Matt Sutter.
Poole slammed a metal pole over the victim several times, Sutter said, adding the two do not know each other and the attack appeared to be unprovoked.
While in custody in Anaheim’s jail Poole damaged property in his cell, Sutter said.
Poole pleaded guilty to assault with a deadly weapon, arson, possession of a controlled substance in jail and vandalism, all felonies. He also pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of resisting arrest.
Poole has 595 days credit behind bars since his arrest.
Poole has a lengthy criminal history. He was sentenced to five years in prison Aug. 26, 2022, when he pleaded guilty to assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury and battery with serious bodily injury, both felonies, and a misdemeanor count of resisting arrest.
Poole also admitted a sentencing enhancement for inflicting great bodily injury on the victim.
Poole was arrested on suspicion of trespassing in the backyard of a home in the 9800 block of Aldgate Avenue about 5 p.m. March 10, 2018, Garden Grove police said.
Poole was put in the same cell as Oscar Granados, who was arrested on suspicion of being drunk in public after he got into a fight with family members at a shopping center at 12825 Harbor Blvd., police said.
Granados apparently passed out in the cell and was asleep when Poole attacked him for no apparent reason, police said.
Officers in the jail who heard the attack raced over to the cell, where they saw Poole “stomping” on Granados, the police said.
Granados suffered skull fractures and a traumatic brain injury and was taken to an area hospital, police said.
Poole pleaded guilty in October 2024 to attacking a deputy while in the Orange County Jail with a Taser and escaping custody in August 2022, according to court records.
Poole pleaded guilty in August 2022 to damaging a jail cell on Sept. 26, 2021, and on Dec. 20, 2019, as well as resisting arrest and assault and battery on Feb. 23, 2020, all misdemeanors, according to court records.
Poole also pleaded guilty to burglary in November 2010.