Alleged gang member arrested again for Nipomo beating

May 1, 2015

San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office personnel arrested an alleged gang member a second time for a beating that left a Nipomo man in the hospital and temporarily without a car.

On Jan. 22, the victim was driving in the 200 block of South Oaglen Avenue in Nipomo when a group of men tossed beer on his car. The victim then stopped the car, got out and was assaulted by the men, according to the sheriff’s office.

Sheriff’s deputies found the victim with serious head and face injuries. One of the suspects reportedly drove off with the victim’s car.

Deputies arrested three suspects who returned to the scene of the crime. One of them was 19-year-old Javier Chang.

On Thursday evening, members of the sheriff’s special enforcement team and gang task force served a search warrant in the 900 block of Calle Fresa in Nipomo. They arrested Chang in connection with the January incident and booked him in San Luis Obispo County Jail, according to a sheriff’s office news release.

Chang faces charges of assault with a deadly weapon, assault causing great bodily injury, inflicting great bodily injury during a felony and several counts of gang-related offenses, according to the jail website.

During the Jan. 22 arrest, deputies charged him with conspiracy and assault with a deadly weapon with a gang enhancement, according to a previous press release.

The news release issued Thursday makes no mention of the prior arrest. It does state, though, that investigators believe Chang poured beer on the victim’s car, whereas a previous one did not specify who tossed alcohol.

Chang was considered dangerous and high risk. Special enforcement and gang task force members surrounded the house Thursday before arresting him.

The victim was not a gang member, according to the sheriff’s office.

Five days after the attack, sheriff’s personnel located a fourth suspect and alleged gang member who fled after the beating. In the process of searching for him, they detained nine additional suspects at or near the locations they arrested gang members who allegedly participated in the attack.