San Diego

Trail of Blood Leads Police to Man Accused of Attacking Trolley Security Guard in Old Town

The suspect was arrested a short time later, found hiding under a bridge in the Old Town San Diego area

A man allegedly attacked an armed security guard at a trolley station in Old Town San Diego Friday, trying to grab the guard’s firearm without success, investigators said.

The struggle happened around 1 p.m. at the Old Town Transit Center on Taylor Street near Old Town State Historic Park, the San Diego Police Department confirmed.

The suspect, identified on Tuesday as 23-year-old Jacob Larry Pendleton, later walked up to the guard, grabbed his service pistol and "violently pulled on it," trying to rip the weapon out of its holster, police said. 

The guard was able to hang on to his firearm and, according to police, defended himself with his service knife, stabbing Pendleton several times in the torso during the fight.

Trolley security called the SDPD to report the attack and officers rushed to the transit station.

Police said Pendleton ran off southbound, toward Pacific Highway.

SDPD officers and K9s launched a search for him, following a trail of his blood until they found him a short time later hiding under a car underneath a bridge.

Pendleton was arrested without further incident and treated for his wounds at a local hospital for several days before being booked into jail on robbery and battery charges on Monday. 

"This is a dangerous place," an MTS bus driver told NBC 7. "These security guards, I see them everyday. Man they have to be on high alert, people have no respect for law enforcement these day. He had to defend himself, it's a natural instinct."

The SDPD said the security guard, who has not yet been identified, suffered minor injuries to his face; he was punched several times by the suspect during their struggle.

No one else was hurt.

No other information was available.

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