Man suspected of hitting another with golf club is arrested in Costa Mesa

A 44-year-old man who police say smashed a truck window with a golf club and attacked another man was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon Friday in Costa Mesa.

Costa Mesa police received a report at about 7:20 a.m. that a man was damaging an irrigation device near Armstrong Garden Centers at 2123 Newport Blvd., said Lt. Victor Bakkila.

A witness told officers that the man, who was carrying a bag of golf clubs, walked to a gardening truck and poured gasoline on the passenger seat, Bakkila said.

“The witness confronted him and was attacked with a golf club,” Bakkila said. The witness suffered minor injuries to one of his hands, Bakkila said.

Bakkila said the man smashed the truck’s passenger window, grabbed a tool from the vehicle and walked away.

Richard Ortiz, a homeless man who police say most recently lived in Dana Point, was arrested in front of College Hospital on Victoria Street, Bakkila said.

[email protected]

Twitter: @HannahFryTCN