Verbal Exchange Leads to Parking Lot Melee

Sheriff's Deputies Arrest 3, Seize Knife and Tire Irons

Carpinteria - September 1st, 2010

Three people are in jail following a supermarket parking lot fight that involved four people, two tire irons and a knife.

At approximately 7:19pm on Tuesday, August 31, 2010, Santa Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to respond to a fight involving several individuals in the Von’s parking lot on the 100 block of S. Turnpike Road in unincorporated Santa Barbara County.

When they arrived, deputies contacted a 44-year old Carpinteria man who said he had been involved in a fight with three other people who had used tire irons to beat him. Through their investigation deputies learned that at approximately 7:10pm that evening, the man and a 48-year old Santa Barbara woman drove to the Von’s supermarket to pick up some food items. While the woman waited inside the vehicle, the man exited the car with the purpose of walking inside the grocery store.

While still in the parking lot, the man got into a verbal exchange with 21-year old Giovanni Aceves (DOB 8/29/89) of Santa Barbara. The exchange escalated into a physical altercation. During the fight, Aceves’ mother Carmen Aceves (DOB 10/12/58) of Santa Barbara and Charles Nunez Dorado (DOB 2/27/77) of Santa Barbara got out of their own vehicle and joined the altercation. During the fracas, the man said that Dorado went back to his vehicle where he retrieved a tire iron which he used to attack the 44-year old victim. The victim said that Carmen Aceves had also armed herself with a tire iron which she used to attack him as well.

The victim says at this point, his female companion exited their vehicle and began yelling for help. He says Giovanni Aceves then went back to his own vehicle and retrieved knife which he used to slash the tires on the victim’s car. The woman says Giovanni Aceves also threatened her with the knife before he, his mother, and Dorado fled in their vehicle.

Sheriff’s deputies who were alerted to the make and color of Aceves’ vehicle spotted the SUV on Turnpike Road south of Hollister Avenue a few minutes later and conducted a traffic stop. During the stop deputies discovered a knife and two tire irons inside the vehicle.

Following the investigation Sheriff’s deputies arrested Giovanni Aceves for Felony Assault with a Deadly Weapon (245(A)(1) PC) and Misdemeanor Vandalism (Misdemeanor 594 (B)(2)(A), Carmen Aceves for Felony Assault with a Deadly Weapon (245(A)(1) PC), and Charles Nunez Dorado for Felony Assault with a Deadly Weapon (245(A)(1) PC). All three are being held in the Santa Barbara County Jail on $30,000 bail.

The victim refused medical treatment.

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