By Lookout Staff

September 5, 2024 -- A homeless man on probation with a lengthy arrest record was charged on Wednesday with three counts of felony assault after attacking a woman on the beach and a store employee at Trader Joe's, according to police.

Mario Alejandri, 31, was arrested on August 28 for assault with a deadly weapon in an incident that took place at around 11:30 p.m. on the 2600 block of the beach, police officials said ("Woman Sexually Assaulted in 2nd Beach Attack This Week," August 30, 2024).

Officers responded to the scene after a good Samaritan riding southbound in the 2700 block of Barnard Way called police after being flagged down by a "distressed" woman at around 11:45 p.m.

The woman, who was "bleeding from cuts to her face and head," needed help calling 911, said Lt. Erika Aklufi, the Police Departments spokeswoman. Officers arrived on the scene within minutes.

The victim told the responding officers that a male suspect in "a distinctive orange shirt punched her several times in the head and face, hit her with a bottle, and tried to shove sand in her mouth," Aklufi said.

Officers flooded the area looking for the suspect, who was last seen walking northbound, while other officers arranged to transport the victim to a hospital, she said.

Officers located the crime scene in the 2600 Block of Ocean Front Walk and found the suspect nearby, Aklufi said.

The detective conducting the investigation recognized the suspect as the perpetrator in a recent assault with a deadly weapon that took place the previous day at the Trader Joe’s on Broadway downtown, Aklufi said.

According to police, Alejandri entered the store at around 7:45 p.m. "and was immediately recognized by store staff from prior shoplifting incidents."

"When a store employee asked him to leave, Alejandri became irate and hit the employee victim in the face," Aklufi said.

"He proceeded to throw two potted plants at the victim and then, on the way out, picked up a sign and was poised to throw it when the doors closed blocking him."

The employee was not seriously hurt in the incident, which was captured on store surveillance video, "allowing the beach assault detective to definitively connect Alejandri to both incidents," Aklufi said.

Alejandri is on summary probation for battery and has prior arrests for battery, trespass to "injure property," assault with a deadly weapon, petty theft, resisting arrest, vandalism, brandishing a weapon, possession of Methamphetamine and contempt of Court.

On Wednesday, the LA County District Attorney’s Office filed three felony charges for assault with a deadly weapons -- two counts for the incident on the beach and one for the attack at Trader Joe’s.

Anyone with information about this individual or incident should email Detective Jenkins at Benjamin.Jenkins@santamonica.gov or call the Watch Commander (24 hours) at (310) 458-8427.