SANTA MONICA CRIME WATCH

Assault on the Pier

Santa Monica police say they arrested a man accused of hitting another man in the face at the Santa Monica Pier early Saturday morning.

Lawmen report it happened on the 300 block of the Pier on February 8th shortly after three o'clock in the morning. Lawmen say the victim told them that he was walking on the Pier with his aunt when the suspect, Gonzalo Alberto Sanguin, who asked the victim where he was from, approached him. According to authorities, the victim replied with "nowhere" and that is when Sanguin allegedly made a gang related statement to him about being on the Pier, and then punched the victim in the face.

Santa Monica Police were able to detain the suspect. They say the victim and a witness identified Sanguin. His bail was set to $20,000.

Restaurant Employee Assaulted on 3rd Street Promenade

A man is in jail after he allegedly hit an employee of a popular Cafe on 3rd Street Promenade in the head.

Lawmen say it happened on February 9th at 8:50 in the morning at the Café Bellagio in the 1400 block of 3rd Street Promenade.

They say the suspect Gregory Christophe had already left the scene of the battery when the officers arrived. Officers they say the victim told them that the suspect entered the restaurant, sat down at a table and fell asleep and after he woke Christophe up and asked him to leave the suspect got very angry. Lawmen report, Christophe allegedly staggered toward the entrance and unzipped his pants as if he was going to urinate in a trashcan in the restaurant. According to authorities the restaurant employee then asked Christophe again to leave and that is when he allegedly hit the employee in the head with his fist. Responding officers saw the suspect getting onto a bus and stopped the bus at Lincoln Blvd. and Pico Blvd. where they detained Christophe. They say the victim identified the suspect as the one who struck him. Christophe was arrested and his bail was set to $20,000.

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Twin Brothers Plead Guilty to Assault Charges

Twin brothers plead guilty to assault charges after a stabbing last year.

27- year-old twin brothers Anthony and Conrad Sowash, each pled to one count of assault with a deadly weapon on Monday, February 3rd for a stabbing that happened last summer, according to authorities.

They say the stabbing happened in the early morning hours of July 4, 2013, in the 3000 block of Santa Monica Boulevard.

Lawmen report, Anthony, will serve six years in State prison for the stabbing of a Santa Monica resident and his brother Conrad was released using the time he had already served in jail as his sentence. Lawmen say, he was placed on probation. Conrad acted in concert with Anthony during the assault, but did not use a weapon, according to authorities. The twin brothers, both from Los Angeles, have been in custody since July 4, 2013, according to authorities. They say back then Anthony, Conrad, and two of their female friends, were involved in an altercation with another group of young adults. Lawmen report a friendly conversation between the two groups quickly escalated into a brawl and resulted in the primary victim being stabbed multiple times.

Santa Monica Police responded quickly and apprehended both Sowash brothers after a brief foot pursuit. Their female companions were also arrested on misdemeanor assault charges. All victims involved in the incident fully recovered from their injuries.