Man Arrested For Swinging Baseball Bat, Targeting Random Victims - KCOY Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo - News

Man Arrested For Swinging Baseball Bat, Targeting Random Victims

SALINAS, Calif. - A man has been arrested after police say he was swinging a baseball bat at people near Salinas' Hartnell Park Monday morning.  

Officers were aware of a similar incident which had happened earlier in the day and already had a description of the suspect and the vehicle he was driving.  Officers said around 9:45 a.m., a 22-year-old victim was walking past the park when the suspect exited his truck and began swinging a baseball bat at the victim for no apparent reason. The victim was able to evade the suspect and ran home and called police.

Responding officers immediately noticed the similarity in circumstances of both incidents and started a search of the area for the suspect. An individual matching the description of the suspect and a vehicle, which also matched, was contacted in the area of W. Acacia at Camden.

The suspect identified as 55-year-old Jimmy Cooper.  

Cooper was arrested without incident and later transported to county jail on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon.