WATSONVILLE — Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies on Friday arrested a 15-year-old Watsonville boy who is suspected in the hammer attack in Aptos on Monday.
The suspect was not identified because he is a juvenile. After his arrest at 10:30 a.m. he was charged with robbery and assault with a deadly weapon, both felonies. He was booked into juvenile hall.
Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Sgt. Brian Cleveland said he expects more arrests as the investigation continues.
The attack occurred at about 1:40 a.m. Sunday morning when several masked suspects entered a garage about on the 100 block of Monte Vista Drive in Aptos and assaulted three teenage boys with a hammer while two of them were sleeping.
The teenagers, 16, 16 and 17, all suffered head injuries. After the assault, the suspects stole several items and fled the area in an unknown vehicle.
The 17-year-old victim was taken to a trauma center where he was listed in stable condition, but with a “long road to recovery,” Cleveland said.
Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart described the attack as “beyond stupid.”
“These suspects are fortunate nobody is dead as a result of this attack,” he said. “Our deputies are going to find every one of the suspects, they should turn themselves in now.”
Anyone with information is asked to call Sgt. Baldwin at 454-7635.
