70 Year-Old Who Tackled Would-Be Cop Killer Honored

LONG BEACH, CA — A 70 year-old man didn’t hesitate to tackle a young man who was kicking and stomping on an unconscious Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy.

A 65-year-old woman driving through Bellflower stopped her car and intervened when she saw a man being beaten with a golf club. She threw herself in between the victim and his attacker and didn’t back down even after she was pushed to the ground.

A 34-year-old man sacrificed himself to protect his wife during a violent home-invasion robbery, ultimately helping police catch a serial robber who had terrorized residents across Southern California.

For their heroism, the three were honored Wednesday as Courageous Citizens by Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey.

"I am encouraged by the actions of these selfless honorees who, in some instances, put themselves in harm's way for strangers," Lacey said. "Any of these cases could have had deadly outcomes if not for the courageous actions of these local heroes."

Richard Fredrick

According to the district attorney’s office, a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy was escorting a man involved in a domestic dispute out of the Lakewood Mall in 2014 when he was sucker punched and knocked out. The attacker Frankie Estrada then kicked and stomped the deputy on his head and neck. Richard Fredrick, a 70-year-old visiting from Detroit, was sitting at a table when he saw the attack. He ran toward the defendant and tackled him. Now Estrada is serving almost 15 years for assault on a peace officer and attempted murder

James Gutierrez

It was during the 2013 holiday season when a man was responsible for a series of deadly home invasion robberies in Long Beach, Torrance, Westchester, Covina, Los Angeles and Sylmar rang on James Gutierrez’s doorbell in Riverside. When Gutierrez answered, the man forced himself into the home at gunpoint. Mr. Gutierrez acted quickly. Even as he was being hit with the gun, he yelled to his wife who was in their bedroom to call police and lock herself inside. As she was on the phone with police, the defendant kicked down the door and forced both victims to the ground. Mr. Gutierrez jumped on top of his wife to protect her and was pistol-whipped again, according to authorities. Police arrived in time to catch the robber as he tried to flee, and now he is serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

Luz Arias

Luz Arias was driving in Bellflower when she saw two young men in a fight. One man was beating the other over the head with a golf club. She stopped her vehicle, yelled at them to stop fighting and physically intervened to stop it. She was pushed to the ground, but she picked herself back up and got between the victim and assailant to stop the fight, according to authorities. The attacker is now serving a two-year prison sentence.