The two men charged with attacking people with baseball bats in Oceanside last month both pleaded not guilty on Thursday, according to the San Diego County District Attorney's Office.
Jorge L. Perez of Vista and Pablo F. Gonzalez of Oceanside were taken into custody in Vista on Sept. 3, according to the Oceanside Police Department. Police say the two are believed to be part of the gang-motivated crime that happened in the 1400 block of North Harbor Drive at around 8:50 p.m. on Aug. 17.
Perez and Gonzalez have been charged with three counts of assault with a deadly weapon, three counts of assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury and a single charge of robbery.
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Witnesses say two people with bandanas covering their faces assaulted several men with bats and then left in a vehicle, the department said.
“I heard a clang when the bat made contact with the head,” a man who NBC 7 is calling "Peter" said. He did not want to be identified due to his safety. "I see a crowd of people and a gentleman with a bandana and a backward hat and metal bat and see him swing and hit a person in the head. Then people started running."
Multiple victims were taken to the hospital with various injuries, OPD said.
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During an investigation, gang detectives with the department identified five people — including Perez and Gonzalez — as suspects in the incident, according to Oceanside police.
The department is still looking for the three other suspects and asks anyone with information about this incident to contact the Gang Crimes Unit at 760-435-4264.
