Man Pleads Not Guilty To Beating Of Sheriff's Deputy
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A 21-year-old man pleaded not guilty Wednesday to beating a Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputy who suffered "life-changing" injuries.
Frankie Estrada is being held on $1.05 million bail for suspicion of attempted murder on a peace officer.
He is accused of attacking the deputy, leaving him unconscious, Saturday night after deputies responded to the Lakewood Center Mall for a domestic disturbance call.
Upon arrival, one deputy met a woman who was possibly involved in the incident, while the second deputy went in search for Estrada and arrested him.
Officials said the deputy dropped his keys and was attacked when he bent down to pick them up while in the parking lot.
"While escorting the man out of the location towards the other deputy, the man unexpectedly turned on the deputy and hit him several times knocking the deputy to the ground and continued his assault with a shod foot," the statement alleged.
A Good Samaritan then intervened by pushing the suspect away.
The unidentified deputy was hospitalized in critical, but stable condition.
Estrada was scheduled to return to court for a preliminary hearing on Sept. 4.
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