Huntington Park man arrested on suspicion of assaulting police horse

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department released more information about the arrest of a man who is suspected of striking a deputy’s horse while celebrating Mexico’s World Cup victory against Croatia this week.

Authorities accused, Richard Bandala, 22, of Huntington Park, of refusing to move when mounted deputies began to order World Cup revelers out of the street in the 6900 block of Pacific Boulevard.

They said most of the people complied, but “the suspect refused to move and lunged toward the police horse named Santana, a 14-year-old Paint gelding, causing him to lift his front feet off the ground,” a department statement said.

Authorities said Bandala jumped up and down, waved a flag in the horse’s face and struck his head a few times.

“The suspect’s action created such disorder that it triggered other celebrants to jeer at the deputies and crowd around the horses,” the statement said.

Bandala was arrested on suspicion of assault on a police horse and obstructing a police horse. A short time later, authorities discovered that Bandala was also wanted on a “failure to appear warrant for DUI with a $15,000 bail,” the department said.

Los Angeles County district attorney’s office said Bandala has not been officially charged in connection with the incident.

Follow me @LATVives