Man Charged With 'Significantly' Injuring Woman Arrested In Long Beach Friday

LAGUNA BEACH, CA — The man wanted on suspicion of "significantly" injuring a woman in her Laguna Beach home soon after burglarizing that same home was arrested early Friday morning, the Laguna Beach Police Department reported.

31-year-old Charles Thomas Kelley IV was arrested for attempted murder and associated charges stemming from the Wednesday night incident after being hospitalized in Long Beach.

"Kelley was contacted by Long Beach Fire Department Paramedics and transported to a nearby hospital due to an injury sustained in an unrelated incident," Laguna Beach Police Department Lt. Cornelius Ashton said. "Long Beach Fire personnel recognized Kelley from a photograph released on April 19... Long Beach Fire personnel and hospital staff immediately notified the Laguna Beach Police Department."

Once medically cleared from the hospital, Kelley will be booked at the Orange County Jail for attempted murder charges and associated charges stemming from the April 19 incident. He will also be booked on a felony warrant for an unrelated incident, police said.

Laguna Beach Police said that on the evening of Tuesday, April 18, Kelley broke into his ex-girlfriend's home on the 1600 block of Tahiti Avenue. Kelley, who was armed with a knife, attacked and strangled the victim, who was not identified by police.

According to the Orange County Register, Kelley told the victim he was "going to kill her" and demanded that she give him $700.

Authorities were dispatched to the scene Wednesday morning. Firefighter-paramedics treated the victim at the scene, and she was taken to a local hospital for further evaluation. Kelley fled the scene before police arrived.

Kelley has a lengthy criminal history, according to court records. He was charged in January with assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury with a sentencing enhancement for the infliction of great bodily injury for an assault on a man Jan. 21, court records show.

Kelley pleaded guilty March 19, 2021, to an armed robbery with a knife at an ATM in Irvine and leading police on a chase in Newport Beach, according to court records.

He was also convicted in San Diego County Aug. 29, 2016, of aggravated battery, according to court records.

"The Laguna Beach Police Department would like to thank the Long Beach Fire Department and hospital staff for their assistance with locating Kelley," an LBPD news release said. "We would like to extend additional thanks to both the Long Beach and Anaheim Police Departments for their support."

Anyone with additional information regarding Kelley is urged to contact Detective M. Lee with the Major Crimes and Intelligence Unit at 949-497-0371 or MLee@lagunabeachcity.net.

Correction, 4/21/23: A previous version of this article misstated the location of Charles Kelley's arrest. Kelley was arrested in Long Beach, California.