IRWINDALE, Calif. — A California man is accused of slashing two people with a machete in separate attacks at a homeless camp in Irwindale, authorities said.
Fidel Esparza, 52, of La Puente, was arrested on suspicion of two counts of assault with a deadly weapon and one count of resisting arrest, Irwindale police said in a news release. Two victims identified Esparza as the attacker in the September incidents, the San Gabriel Valley Tribune reported.
The attacks occurred Sept. 4 and Sept. 29 at the encampment, located on Army Corps of Engineers land in Irwindale, KTLA reported.
His bail was set at $50,000.
During the first attack, Esparza allegedly approached a woman in the camp and slashed her on the arm with a large machete knife, police said.
More than three weeks later, Esparza allegedly attacked a man during an altercation at the same homeless camp.
“The suspect was armed with a large machete knife and the victim was slashed on the hand and fingers,” police said in a news release.
Both victims knew the attacker and identified Esparza by name, KTLA reported.
Police spotted Esparza at about 10:59 a.m. on Sunday, according to the Tribune. He was taken into custody after a brief chase on foot, the newspaper reported.
Several machetes were later recovered by investigators.