2 charged in taped road rage beating on LA freeway
Jun 25, 2012, 11:08 PM
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Two men suspected of kicking the head of another motorist in a videotaped road rage incident have been charged in the beating by Los Angeles County prosecutors.
David Mendez, 21, and Edras A. Ramirez, 27, are each charged with assault with a deadly weapon _ their feet _ and assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury, the district attorney’s office said Monday.
The assault captured on video by another motorist showed the men fighting the driver of another car, Jerry Patterson, on June 12 after they stopped their cars on Interstate 5, prosecutors said.
In the video, the men are seen fighting. Patterson is thrown to the pavement and then kicked in the head.
Mendez and Ramirez surrendered to authorities June 20 after the video went viral on the Internet. Arraignment was set for July 13.
The beating victim was also charged with involvement in a similar and separate incident last month, said Long Beach city prosecutor’s office spokesman Randall Fudge.
Patterson was arrested without incident Friday in Altadena on an outstanding warrant for suspicion of DUI, hit and run and assault in a May 25 incident.
Patterson is accused of driving recklessly through the area and arguing and assaulting a man who followed him and reported him to police.
Originally slated for Friday, Patterson’s arraignment was rescheduled for July 6 to give him time to secure legal representation.
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