NORWALK — A Whittier father who unleashed the family pit bull on a man during a fight pleaded no contest today and was sentenced to three years in state prison, the District Attorney’s office announced.
Richard Rudy Aragon, 52, pleaded no contest to one count of assault with a deadly weapon likely to produce great bodily injury and admitted the great bodily injury allegation before Judge Margaret Bernal, said Deputy District Attorney Michael Derose. He was immediately sentenced to prison, and will serve his time in prison under the new state law.
In exchange for his plea, two additional felony counts, including mayhem and another count of assault with a deadly weapon, were dismissed.
Aragon and his 17-year-old son were charged in the June 25th attack after the son allegedly confronted a 43-year-old man and demanded his wallet. The man refused and the pair began fighting in front of Crestwood Apartments in the 8900 block of Painter Avenue, near Lambert Road, Whittier Police Department said.
Aragon came to the boy’s assistance and released the pit bull, who bit both ear tips off the victim. The suspects also allegedly punched and kicked the victim while the dog attacked, police said.
Prosecutors are seeking to have the son, whose name is not being released because of his age, tried as an adult on two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, a foot, with force likely to inflict great bodily injury, one count of attempted robbery and one count of witness intimidation.
