Crime Patrol: Assaults, Rape, Bomb Threats Mark Waning Days of August

Compiled by Teresa Rochester

Police are investigating a case of assault with a deadly weapon that stemmed from a squabble over the health of houseplants worth $200 on Monday, Aug, 27.

A woman purchased seven bougainvilleas and one banana plant on July 24 from Lucky Plants on the 3100 block of Lincoln Boulevard. She allegedly left town shortly after buying the plants and upon her return found that they were sickly and allegedly suffering from a virus.

On Aug. 27 she tried to return the plants, but the store's clerk refused to accept them because he said she didn't water them and they did not have a virus. An argument over the plants ensued, and the clerk alleged that as the woman left the store's parking lot, she ran over his right foot, Fabrega said.

The woman, armed with an attorney, voluntarily went to the police department and provided a statement. In her statement she alleged that the clerk had become irate and charged her with not watering the plants. As the clerk became increasingly angry, the woman, fearing for her safety, picked up the plants and left.

The clerk, she alleged, threw two plants at her root first, striking her in the stomach. The clerk then followed her to her car and stood on the right front passenger side of the vehicle. He pounded on the windshield with his fist.

The woman drove off. She denied driving over the clerk's foot and said he was four feet away from her vehicle as she left.

A 17-year-old girl was allegedly raped on the beach in the early morning hours of Saturday, Aug. 25, by a 35-year-old acquaintance, police said.

The girl approached police on patrol in the 1100 block of the beach at around 2:45 a.m. She told officers that she had met the man, identified as David Victor Robbins, in Los Angeles, Fabrega said. The two came to the beach, where Robbins allegedly struck her in the face and raped her.

Police found Robbins in the area where the assault occurred. Robbins, who is described as a transient, was booked at the Santa Monica Jail and his bail was set at $50,800.

A cane-wielding assailant beat a 47-year-old man as he sat on a curb in the 1300 block of the Third Street Promenade at around 5:13 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 24, police said.

The victim was standing on the Promenade when he threw some trash into a nearby trashcan. He missed the can. After picking up his trash, the victim sat down on the curb about 20 feet from the can when the suspect came up to him and started striking him with a wooden walking stick, Fabrega said.

Police arrested 45-year-old Harold Prather and charged him with assault with a deadly weapon. Prather was sitting on a bench when police arrested him.

The victim suffered a one-inch cut on his head and a large bruise on his left arm that was sustained when he tried to shield himself from the blows. Paramedics treated him at the scene, and he was transported to a local hospital, Fabrega said.

Prather, who is identified as a transient, was held on $30,300 bail. He had an outstanding misdemeanor warrant.

Two bomb threats at the McDonald's restaurant at 1540 2nd Street on Tuesday, Aug. 21, sparked two separate searches of the fast food restaurant that turned up nothing, police said.

The first threat was called in to the police department at around 6:59 p.m. A male voice told dispatchers that a bomb was inside the restaurant, Fabrega said. Police alerted the manager, who along with officers, searched inside and outside of the restaurant for suspicious packages that might have been left unattended.

Nothing was found during the search and a police report was taken.

The restaurant's night manager received a similar phone call at around 10:32 p.m. Police were summoned and a second search was conducted inside the restaurant and in its parking lot, but nothing suspicious was found, Fabrega said.