On Oct. 9, at 1:11 a.m., Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a local business on the 600 block of West Bonita Avenue, San Dimas, regarding a family disturbance call. Deputies learned that the suspect, 28-year-old Richard Melendez of Bell Gardens, had been pounding on a hotel room door, trying to enter the room of his mother and sister. He left before deputies arrived. As deputies were arriving in the hotel lobby, Melendez drove his 2003 Hummer into the exterior wall of the hotel. The Hummer struck the wall six to ten times, eventually coming to rest partially inside the room occupied by Melendez’ mother and sister. Persons fleeing the area around the affected room told deputies Melendez had a gun.
Melendez, who was intoxicated and uncooperative with Sheriff’s deputies, was subdued with the aid of a taser. No guns were located at the scene. Melendez was treated and released at a local hospital. He was booked at San Dimas Station for assault with a deadly weapon and related charges, with bail set at $30,000.
No one in the hotel was injured. Melendez’s wife and four children, ages 1, 3, 5 and 6, were asleep in a room across the hall when the incident occurred. Occupants of adjacent rooms in the three-story hotel have been evacuated. The Los Angeles County building inspector was notified and will assess the damage. The incident will be investigated by a detectives assigned to the San Dimas Station. Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the San Dimas Station at (909) 450-2700. If you prefer to provide information anonymously, you may call “Crime Stoppers” by dialing (800) 222-TIPS (8477), or texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.
