Four people have been charged in connection with a fight last month near the Santa Monica Pier that authorities say began when a vendor began sexually assaulting several women.
The Santa Monica Police Department announced over the weekend that prosecutors had filed assault charges against four men and sexual assault charges against one of them. Authorities are still seeking more information about the incident.
On the evening of June 29, police responded to a 911 call about several men fighting near the pier. One person was also reported to have been stabbed, according to police.
Before officers arrived at the scene, a Santa Monica police drone confirmed a fight was in progress. Police told the Times It was a “mutual combat situation” in the sand near Lifeguard Tower 14.
But police have said the fight began when a vendor, identified by authorities as Efigenio Tacuba, 30, allegedly approached a group of beachgoers and “sexually assaulted several women.” After other people in the group confronted him, Tacuba called for help from other vendors. The other vendors armed themselves with umbrella poles, belts and at least one knife.
In the ensuing confrontation, one person was stabbed and another suffered a broken ankle. Both were taken to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries.
At the time, police said in a social media post that five people were arrested. On Saturday, the department said four people had been charged. Three of them — Jorge Cruz Murcia, Samuel Manzanarez Hernandez and Oscar Samuel Hernandez — face two counts each of assault with a deadly weapon. The fourth, Tacuba, faces those charges, as well as three counts of misdemeanor sexual assault.
Under California law, the type of sexual assault charge Tacuba faces is defined as touching “an intimate part of another person” against their will for the purpose of sexual arousal.
In their latest statement, authorities said that “more arrests are likely.” Anyone with information or video related to the incident is encouraged to contact Detective Jacob Holloway by email or call the shift commander at (310) 458-8427.
The incident occurred several weeks later Two German tourists were stabbed and a third person was injured in apparently unprovoked attacks near the Santa Monica Pier. In that case, a suspect was arrested in late May.
Three days before the multi-person brawl, a Santa Monica man allegedly attacked three women on the beach, attempting to strangle a 17-year-old girl before assaulting and biting a woman who tried to help her. He also allegedly dragged a 72-year-old woman into the ocean and pushed her underwater.
That man, Private Dwayne Garnett32, was charged with two counts of attempted murder and a host of other felonies.
