SANTA ANA, Calif. – A man is scheduled to be arraigned today for pummeling a 71-year-old man with a baseball bat in a gas station parking lot. Samuel Elijah Alvarez, 18, Santa Ana, is charged with one felony count of attempted murder with premeditation and deliberation, one felony count of aggravated assault, one felony count of battery with serious bodily injury, one felony count of possession of a prohibited weapon, and sentencing enhancement allegations for great bodily injury to a vulnerable victim, great bodily injury to an elder, and personal use of a deadly weapon. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life in state prison plus six years. The People will request he be held on $200,000 bail at his arraignment today in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana. The time is to be determined.

At approximately 7:25 p.m. on Feb. 7, 2016, Alvarez is accused of arguing with 71-year-old John Doe in a parking lot at a 76 Gas Station in Santa Ana. Alvarez is accused of pushing the victim and then walking toward the victim holding an aluminum baseball bat in his right hand. The victim reached into the bed of his pickup truck and grabbed a small pipe to protect himself. The defendant is accused of raising the bat as if to hit the victim. The victim responded by swinging his pipe at the defendant but did not hit him. Alvarez is accused of swinging the bat twice and hitting the victim's body. He is accused of swinging the bat a third time and hitting the victim's head on the left side of his face causing the victim to fall to the ground. The defendant is accused of running back to his vehicle and driving away from the scene.

The victim was transported to a nearby hospital to be treated for his injuries, including three jaw fractures which required surgery and that his mouth to be wired shut, four loose teeth, bruising on his left arm, and scrapes to his hand.

On Feb. 13, 2016, Alvarez turned himself in to the Santa Ana Police Department, who investigated this case.

Orange County District Attorney / Case # 16CF0418 / February 17, 2016