| For Immediate Release Case # 09NF2732 October 8, 2009 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Public Affairs Counsel Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718Farrah Emami Spokesperson Office: 714-347-8405 Cell: 714-323-4486 |
THIRD-STRIKER AFRICAN-AMERICAN GANG MEMBER TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR PUNCHING AND YELLING RACIAL SLURS AT HISPANIC VICTIM IN
HATE CRIME ATTACK
FULLERTON – A third-striker African-American criminal street gang member will be arraigned today for punching and yelling racial slurs in a hate crime assault against a Hispanic victim. Darrel James Allen, 23, Irvine, is charged with one felony count each of hate crime battery causing injury, second degree robbery, aggravated assault, battery with serious bodily injury, attempted second degree robbery, and one misdemeanor count of a violation of civil rights. He faces sentencing enhancements for committing a hate crime and causing great bodily injury. The defendant has two prior strikes for 2005 convictions for street terrorism and robbery. Allen is being held on $1 million bail and faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in state prison if convicted. He is scheduled to be arraigned today, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2009, at 1:30 p.m. in Department N-3, North Justice Center, Fullerton.
On July 25, 2009, victim Sabino Rodriguez was standing outside of a 7-Eleven convenience store on Commonwealth Avenue in Fullerton talking with store clerk Darryl Goloiday. Allen is accused of approaching the two victims with several other African-American men and making racial slurs directed at Rodriguez. He is accused of telling the victim, “I hate f***ing Mexicans” and punching Rodriguez in the back of the head without provocation. The victim fell to the ground, suffered a laceration to the back of his head, and lost consciousness.
After knocking Rodriguez unconscious, Allen is accused of stealing the victim’s wallet from his pocket. He is accused of then turning to Goloiday and asking what the victim had in his possession with the intention of robbing him, but fleeing the scene with his friends prior to stealing the victim’s possessions.
Deputy District Attorney Israel Claustro of the Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting this case.
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