Citizens and Law Enforcement Team Up to Bring Culprits to Justice
On Halloween night, Tuesday, October 31, 2023, around 9:50 p.m., Santa Monica Police Department officers received a report regarding an assault on the 1200 block of Lincoln Boulevard. Upon arrival at the scene, officers discovered a 79-year-old female resident of Santa Monica who had been beaten, and her multiple injuries included a blow to the head. The elderly woman had been robbed by four males traveling in a Kia sedan. After threatening and physically assaulting the woman, the suspects stole her purse. An observant witness gave law enforcement a detailed description of the vehicle and its license plate. Subsequently, it was revealed that the Kia had been reported as stolen from Long Beach.
Additional police units, in response to the incident, encountered the suspect vehicle driving recklessly on the south side of the city and initiated a traffic stop. However, the vehicle refused to comply with the authorities’ instructions. The ensuing pursuit came to a dramatic end at the intersection of 11th and Wilshire, where the driver of the suspect vehicle lost control and collided with a pickup truck. Two of the suspects were swiftly apprehended and taken into custody.
Meanwhile, the third suspect was found hiding in a carport adjacent to a nearby alley and was apprehended without any resistance. As for the fourth suspect, he forcibly entered an occupied apartment in the 1200 block of 11th Street. The courageous resident managed to evict the intruder from the apartment. The fourth suspect was later discovered on the rooftop of the building with the assistance of an LAPD helicopter and was subsequently taken into custody. Officers located what might the weapon used to commit the crime near the scene of the accident.
The elderly woman was immediately transported to a local hospital for necessary medical treatment, while the occupants of the pickup truck, struck by the suspect vehicle, fortunately escaped serious injuries.
All four suspects were subsequently booked into the Santa Monica Jail on multiple felony charges. Their identities are as follows:
- Kejon Stevenson (DOB: 03/03/1999) of Los Angeles.
- Jacob Pugh (DOB: 04/28/2004) – Homeless.
- Juvenile #1 (17 years old) of Los Angeles.
- Juvenile #2 (17 years old) of Los Angeles.
Individuals with any information related to this incident are strongly encouraged to reach out to Detective Tavera at Hector.Tavera@santamonica.gov, Detective Sergeant Gradle at Ryan.Gradle@santamonica.gov, or the Watch Commander (available 24 hours) at 310-458-8427.
