Case # 15CF2232
Date: September 29, 2015
TRANSIENT TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR ATTACKING AND CRITICALLY INJURING 82-YEAR-OLD VICTIM
SANTA ANA, Calif. – A transient man will be arraigned today for attacking and critically injuring an 82-year-old man. Demarrea Chante Barnes, 29, is charged with one felony count of assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury, one felony count of elder and dependent adult abuse, a sentencing enhancement for great bodily injury, and three state prison priors for drug possession in 2005 and 2008, and assault on a peace officer with injury in 2012. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 13 years in state prison. The People will be asking he be held on $100,000 bail at his arraignment today, Sept. 29, 2015, in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana. The time is to be determined.
At approximately 6:00 a.m. on Sept. 25, 2015, John Doe, 82, drove to a strip mall on West Edinger Street in Santa Ana to get his daily newspaper and coffee. As John Doe was walking in the parking lot to the coffee shop, Barnes is accused of attacking the victim, punching him in the face and knocking the victim to the ground. The defendant is accused of kicking John Doe multiple times and then fleeing the scene.
The critically injured victim was transported to a local hospital and treated for broken facial bones and a brain hemorrhage. John Doe is currently in stable condition and is expected to recover.
The Santa Ana Police Department investigated this case and released a surveillance tape depicting part of the attack. Barnes was identified and arrested the next day, Sept. 26, 2015.
Deputy District Attorney Renee Jones of the Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting this case.