Ruckus at gas station lands man in jail
Suspect gets 80 days behind bars after pleaded to grand theft charge
A Saugus man arrested on suspicion of several criminal charges this past summer after accused going wild at a Newhall gas station was sentenced to 80 days in jail after a no contest plea to a grand theft charge, officials said Wednesday.
Edgar Alejandro Hernandez, a 35-year-old unemployed man, was arrested July 25 by deputies of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station on suspicion of robbery and other charges.
“(Hernandez) pleaded no contest (last Thursday) to one count of grand theft from the person of another, and was immediately sentenced to 80 days in jail and three years formal probation,” Ricardo Santiago, spokesman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office told The Signal Wednesday.
Deputies responded to a disturbance at a gas station located on the 20500 block of Newhall Avenue on Friday, July 21, 2017, around 4:30 a.m., according to Shirley Miller, sheriff’s station spokeswoman, in a statement given to The Signal this past summer.
“A suspect reportedly walked into the business, and got into a verbal altercation with an employee,” she said.
“The suspect then knocked over a stand with food products on it and allegedly grabbed the glasses off of the employee’s face, slamming them on the counter top and causing them to break.
“The suspect then took two bottles of beer and left the store. Outside the location, the suspect took one of the bottles and struck a man’s truck, causing minor damage to the vehicle,” she said.
“The victim confronted the suspect about the damage to his truck, and the suspect allegedly pushed him, struck him with the beer bottle and then threw the bottle onto the ground, causing it to break. The suspect then went over to another man who was putting gas in his truck. The suspect grabbed a squeegee and held it above his head toward the victim, calling him derogatory names,” Miller said.
Hernandez was arrested on suspicion of robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, and vandalism, she said.