Homeless man held on $4.1 million bond for attempted murder of three security officers
Los Angeles CA Jan 30 2019
A 31-year-old homeless man accused in an early morning rampage around Union Station in which a security guard was hurt, police cars were damaged and a Metro vehicle was stolen and crashed was charged Monday with four counts of attempted murder.
Max Verdi pleaded not guilty to those counts plus four counts of second-degree burglary of a vehicle, one count of vandalism with more than $400 in damages and an allegation that he caused great bodily injury.
Verdi, who is being held on bail of more than $4.1 million, is due back in court Feb. 8, when a date is expected to be set for a preliminary hearing to determine if there is sufficient evidence to proceed to trial.
The trail of destruction began about 4:30 a.m. last Wednesday outside Union Station, according to LAPD Officer Sal Ramirez. Two LAPD black-and-whites were parked in a lot outside the station when the suspect smashed out windows in both vehicles and then stole some property from the patrol cars, he said. Verdi then allegedly smashed a window in a private vehicle parked in the lot and stole an ice ax.
A Metro security guard tried to stop him with pepper spray, but that failed to disable the man, Ramirez said.
Verdi then allegedly stole a Metro security vehicle and attempted to run the guards over before crashing into a pillar. He then returned to the station on foot, where on the Patsaouras Plaza side, he struck the security guard in the head with the ax, police and prosecutors allege.
He was ultimately subdued and arrested by LAPD officers at the nearby Amtrak train tracks. The security guard was taken to a hospital for treatment of what were described as non-life-threatening injuries.
mynewsLA.com
