By David Ganezer, Observer Staff Writer
7/2/21: The young couple were walking back to their car after a Thursday night stroll down the Pier and the Promenade. It was 1:20 am Thursday morning. For some reason, Preston B. Rochon, 30 a homeless drug addict from Texas began to shout obscenities and threats at them.
“You’re not leaving until I F*#$ her!” He shouted repeatedly, referring to the young woman.
The couple were attempting to get into a white jeep with no roof, when the suspect jumped out at them. "You're not leaving until I have sex with her!" he insisted. He then started pulling the young woman out of the car.
The man jumped out and scuffled with the suspect. The couple re-entered the vehicle, thinking they would then drive off.
When they reached the exit, the suspect again demanded sex from the girl before the couple could drive off. He jumped into the car and on the woman. The male victim pushed him off of her, and she ran away from the vehicle.
At this point the suspect jumped into the drivers seat and put the jeep into reverse, driving back and forth across the male victim twice. He drove off in the vehicle, crashing into a barrier a block away at the Santa Monica pier. Police then arrested Preston B. Rochon, who was bloodied himself in the crash.
The male victim was rushed to UCLA hospital with severe head injuries and broken ribs. He was admitted with serious injuries. The suspect remains in custody.
The young woman, presumably in shock, walked home to her parents house in Brentwood.
“The male victim was transported to a local hospital with significant injuries, and at the time of this release continues to be in stable condition,” says the official SMPD press release. “The female victim was later treated at a local hospital for minor injuries.”
Rochon was located a short distance away by a SMPD officer and was taken into custody without further incident, police said. The SMPD booked Rochon for attempted homicide, Assault with a Deadly Weapon and Carjacking
Anyone with additional information pertaining to this incident is strongly encouraged
to contact Detective Burciaga with the Criminal Investigations Division at 310-458-
8932 or the Santa Monica Department's Watch Commander (24 hours) at 310-458-
8427.”
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