On the morning of Wednesday, December 5th, a homeless man in Los Angeles was caught on security camera pushing an unsuspecting pedestrian in front of a moving truck. The disturbing footage shows the suspect seated on a bench minding his own business. When a female pedestrian walks by, the suspect made an “aggressive move” and apparently had a verbal exchange with her, but didn’t get off the bench. Moments later, as the victim passed by, the suspect got up off the bench and shoved the victim into the street, where he fell beneath the wheels of a moving truck. Luckily, the truck driver hit the brakes quick enough to avoid running the victim over completely. After stopping, the driver immediately exited the truck and went to help the victim while the suspect fled. The victim is currently in critical condition in a local hospital, suffering from cracked ribs and a punctured lung.
About an hour later, firefighters who had seen video of the suspect when it was aired located the suspect a few blocks from where the crime occurred. They called the LAPD and the suspect was arrested. According to law enforcement, the suspect may be charged with attempted murder once the investigation is complete.
Attempted murder is covered under California Penal Codes 664/187 PC and is described as intending to kill someone and taking a direct step towards doing so, but the intended victim survives. Attempted murder is a felony in California and, like straight murder, is divided into both first-degree and second-degree. The penalties for first-degree attempted murder include life in prison with the possibility of parole. If convicted of second-degree attempted murder, the possible penalties include 5 to 9 years in California state prison. Both crimes also include the potential penalties of victim restitution, a fine of up to $10,000, and the loss of the right to own or possess firearms.
