Wildomar Man Suspected of Assaulting Woman, Dog With Baseball Bat

A 21-year-old man was arrested Sunday for allegedly striking a woman, then her dog, with a baseball bat during a melee that had broken out at a Wildomar residence, according to police.

The incident occurred at about 8:40 p.m. Sunday, when deputies responded to a call of a fight involving multiple subjects armed with bats and knives at a residence in the 32000 block of Lakeview Terrace, according to a news release written by Wildomar police Sgt. Linda Maria Hughes.

Police arrived to find a 27-year-old woman suffering from minor injuries after allegedly have been struck by the suspect, Angel Mendoza, of Wildomar.

“During the struggle, the victim’s dog attempted to bite the suspect...Mendoza hit the dog in the head with the baseball bat causing injuries,” Hughes said.

Mendoza then allegedly took the victim’s vehicle and proceeded to speed away from the scene; however, as police attempted to stop him he reportedly accelerated and crashed the vehicle.

“Mendoza took off running from the area and was eventually arrested by deputies when he was found hiding in a yard,” Hughes said.

It was also determined through further investigation that as the victim’s mother was trying to open a gate for responding deputies, she was allegedly assaulted by 33-year-old Wildomar resident Shawna Carlstrom.

Several other suspects reportedly took off before deputies arrived, Hughes said.

Mendoza was being held in lieu of $100,000 bail at Southwest Detention Center near Murrieta, sheriff’s jail records indicated as of Tuesday morning. He was booked on suspicion of cruelty to another’s animal, taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent, second-degree robbery, evading police, reckless driving and assault with a weapon other than a firearm.

Jail records did not indicate whether Carlstrom was arrested on suspicion of her alleged involvement.

Anyone with information regarding the incident was encouraged to call Deputy Mosca at the Lake Elsinore Sheriff’s Station at 951-245-3300.