Teen charged as adult for alleged attack with two-by-four
A 16-year-old has been charged as an adult after police say he attacked a man outside a party with a piece of wood, causing facial damage that will require several surgeries.
About 10:30 p.m. April 10, investigators say Jose L. Rodriguez and at least three other friends arrived at the Pocock Rowing Center at 3320 Fuhrman Ave. E - a space that is rented for events and parties. The group tried to get into a birthday party they weren't invited to, and after being denied, allegedly stood in the street outside yelling demeaning remarks to people who left.
Roughly an hour later, a man and at least one other friend who had been called to the club arrived and confronted Rodriguez and the others, who were still drinking and carrying on in the street, according to police.
Investigators say words were exchanged, then Rodriguez and a friend got weapons, including a roughly 2-inch-by-4-inch piece of lumber and a metal pipe.
The men called to the scene tried to leave in a Jeep Cherokee with the front passenger window down.
"Rodriguez jabbed the piece of wood (through) the open window and struck (the victim) in the face, breaking his nose in two places," Gang Unit Detective James Britt wrote in a probable-cause statement.
Police say Rodriguez tried to pull the victim from the vehicle, and when he couldn't, stole his late 1970s-style Mariners hat.
When the victim and the driver were a safe distance away, the victim "removed a large splinter of wood that was protruding from his face between his eyes," Britt wrote.
A first-degree assault charge was filed Monday against Rodriguez.
He and his friends allegedly fled in a small light-colored car. A license plate provided by a witness matched a silver 1995 Ford Escort -- a car that didn't belong to Rodriguez, according to police.
Seven witnesses identified him, according to charging documents.
It was not clear from the incident report or charging document what exactly brought Rodriguez to the birthday party. However, court documents show one of the witnesses told police that his conversation with Rodriguez and his group started when they offered to sell him weed.
On April 20, police obtained a search warrant for Rodriguez's parents' home, where he stays. Britt, the Gang Unit detective, had contacted Rodriguez as that residence previously, according to court documents.
A search that afternoon of the single-family split-level residence found four marijuana pipes, 21 rounds of ammunition of various calibers, 20.3 grams of marijuana in a glass jar and other marijuana paraphernalia.
Rodriguez, who has no criminal history, was arrested the next day in the 700 block of North 85th Street.
"Rodriguez provided an audio recorded statement, in which he admitted to assaulting the driver of a red Jeep-like SUV through the open driver's window," Britt wrote in the probable case statement. "Rodriguez admitted that this took place outside a party at the Rowing Club.
"Rodriguez stated that a male named 'D' was with him and struck the driver of the SUV with a piece of wood he took out of the ground, possibly a stop sign."
A girl who was driving Rodriguez allegedly told police she heard him, the man referred to as "D" and another girl talking about having hit someone after the assault. Rodriguez also denied stealing the victim's hat.
Rodriguez, whose case is ongoing, is being held at the Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center on $150,000 bail.
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