Suspect Arrested In Assault, Robbery Of A Homeless Man

CULVER CITY, CA — The Culver City Police Department arrested a man in relation to an assault and robbery that left a homeless man hospitalized in critical condition for several days, according to a statement issued by CCPD.

The CCPD received a call at 5:30 a.m. reporting a man that was bleeding profusely from a head wound at the Shell Gas Station on 3801 Sepulveda Blvd. When officers arrived the man told the officers he was sleeping when two people assaulted him and stole $500 in cash and a Samsung Galaxy Cell phone.

"The victim explained to officers that he was sleeping in his tent, at a nearby encampment, when two suspects walked in, pepper-sprayed him, and then struck him in the head with a hammer," the CCPD said in a statement. "The suspects took the victim’s property and fled the area in an unknown direction."

After an investigation, CCPD detectives identified and obtained an arrest warrant for 32-year-old Anthony Yanez who had an "extensive arrest history," according to a statement issued by CCPD.

Yanez was booked into the CCPD jail on suspicion of robbery and aggravated assault, and his bail was set at $1 million, according to the Culver City police and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

The second suspect in the assault is still outstanding, and no description was available.

CCPD is seeking the public's help in providing more information about this incident. Anyone who may have insight is urged to call CCPD Public Information Officer Sergeant Edward Baskaron at 310-235-6316 or the Watch Commander at 310-253-6202. Anonymous reports can be made by calling 800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.

City News Service contributed to this report.