Man Gets 10 Years In Prison For Pistol-Whipping Handball Dispute In OC

IRVINE, CA — A 27-year-old man pleaded guilty Monday and was immediately sentenced to 11 years in prison for pistol whipping another man over a dispute about a handball game in Irvine.

Police were called about 5:45 p.m. Nov. 24 to University Park, where the victim said he was shot in the head, according to spokesman Ziggy Azarcon of the Irvine Police Department. The victim was not shot in the head, but was struck with a pistol, Azarcon said.

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Santos Arturo Ochoa was arrested in a nearby apartment complex and the dispute the two had was over a handball game, Azarcon said.

Ochoa pleaded guilty to attempted murder, assault with a firearm and possession of an undetectable firearm, all felonies, as well as misdemeanor resisting arrest. He also admitted a sentencing enhancement for committing a crime while out on bail.

Ochoa was out on bail on two counts of carrying a concealed loaded unregistered gun, a count of leading police on a chase, all felonies, and a misdemeanor count of possession of nitrous oxide.