By Daniel Tedford
The San Gabriel Valley Tribune
SAN DIMAS, Calif. — Two men were arrested Monday on suspicion of battery against a Los Angeles County Fire Department paramedic, sheriff’s deputies said Tuesday.
The two men, both adults, were involved in an altercation with the paramedic at about 4 p.m. in the 100 block of Gladstone Street, officials said.
Los Angeles County Fire Department paramedics responded to a call of a woman with chest pains after she and her son were involved in an argument, sheriff’s and county fire officials said.
After treating the woman, the men became involved in some sort of altercation with the paramedic, Fire Department Inspector Fred Stowers said.
The paramedic was not harmed and no one was transported to the hospital as a result of the incident, Stowers said.
The men were arrested for suspected felony battery on a firefighter, and one was also arrested for burglary after he was suspected of breaking into a house while fleeing the scene, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Joe McDonald said.
It was unclear why the two men engaged the paramedic, McDonald said.
“Stupidity, I think,” McDonald said. “We are still trying to determine that, why he decided to pick on a firefighter who was trying to take care of his mother.”
Anthony Castro, 19, of Santa Clarita, was arrested on suspicion of felony battery of a firefighter, according to sheriff’s booking information. He is scheduled for arraignment Thursday at Pomona Superior Court and is being held on $50,000 bail.
Information on the other man was not immediately available.
Stowers said paramedics called for sheriff’s deputies assistance. Deputies then took over the scene following their arrival, Stowers said.
As far as he knew, the confrontation was not physical.
“The paramedic wasn’t attacked,” Stowers said. “With all of our firefighters on scene, a person could have become belligerent and that could have lead to it. Threatening the safety of firemen at the scene...that could go down as battery.”
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