Arrest made in attack on Calabasas man with grandchild in stroller

CALABASAS — A suspect in the seemingly unprovoked attack of a man who was pushing his grandchild in a stroller in Calabasas was arrested Wednesday, and authorities said he may also be connected to a separate nearby assault — with both victims described as being of Asian-American/Pacific Islander descent.

Angel Sanchez Jr., 29, of Santa Barbara, was arrested Wednesday in Oxnard, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Sheriff’s officials said they received two separate calls of “unprovoked attacks on unsuspecting victims” around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.

One of the attacks was on a 60-year-old man who was pushing his grandchild in a stroller near Lost Springs Drive and Cottonwood Grove Trail, sheriff’s officials said.

Video shows man being punched while pushing child in a stroller in Calabasas pic.twitter.com/jej8Xp8ZKV

— T_CAS videos (@tecas2000) December 7, 2023

Security video from a nearby home shows the suspect walking toward the man and punching him in the head without any apparent provocation. The man fell to the ground and the stroller was knocked onto its side. The suspect then casually walks away, gets into a van and drives away.

The man was not seriously injured, according to reports from the scene.

Sheriff’s officials said a second apparently unprovoked attack occurred around the same time on the 26000 block of Agoura Road. No specifics were released about that alleged attack, but the victim was described as a male juvenile.

“Although both victims of the assaults were of Asian descent, the motive for the attacks is currently under investigation,” according to a sheriff’s statement.

Sanchez was booked on suspicion of assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury, sheriff’s officials said.

Anyone with information on the case was urged to call the sheriff’s Malibu/Lost Hills Station at 818-878-1808, or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS. Tipsters may also use the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.