Briefs: Man Beaten Upon Exiting Grocery Store

A man walking out of a grocery store was allegedly accosted and punched by an unprovoked homeless person, police said.

Vidal Asante Oguinn, 28, was allegedly drunk when he rode up on a bicycle and "verbally accosted" a man as he and his sisters exited a grocery the evening of Feb. 16 in the 700 block of Broadway Boulevard, according to the Santa Monica Police Department.

Police allege Oguinn then dropped the bike and punched the man and struck him repeatedly until passersby came to his aid.

When officers arrived, they arrested Oguinn and booked him on suspicion of public intoxication, assault and battery.

CRIME BRIEFS

Possession of Meth: Three men were arrested at 10:10 p.m. Feb. 15 in an alley in the 3300 block of Bernard Way on suspicion of drug-related charges. Police said officers asked permission to search the men who were huddled together near a dumpster, and found a small bag of methamphetamine and glass pipes.

Arrested were: David Leo Schacht, 28, homeless in Santa Monica; Robert David Poley, 23, of Santa Monica; Trevor Donald Egbert, 36, homeless in Santa Monica.

Probation Violation: While riding a bike without a headlight at about 2 a.m. in downtown, a Los Angeles wanted on three warrants was arrested. Raul M. Tarango, 34, was also on parole, which police said he violated by carrying a pair of wire cutters wrapped in black electrical tape. Bail was set at $70,561.00.

He was booked on suspicion of possession of burglary tools, providing false information to police, probation Violation, not having a headlight and the three outstanding warrants.