Santa Ana : Man Arrested After Another Is Wounded

A 24-year-old man who refused to leave his sister’s Santa Ana home early Thursday is accused of shooting a neighbor whom she had asked to call authorities, police said.

The victim, Ramon Garcia Varba, 20, was reported in critical condition Thursday at Fountain Valley Regional Hospital.

The suspect, Bartholo Avarado, was in Orange County Jail on suspicion of attempted murder, Santa Ana Police Lt. Bob Chavez said.

Chavez said Avarado arrived at his sister’s house at 805 S. Townsend St. about 1 a.m. He requested his birth certificate so he could return to Mexico, Chavez said, adding that Avarado was handed the document through a window but he refused to leave.

The sister, who was not identified, asked Varba, a neighbor who was walking by the residence, to call police, Chavez said.

Varba went to his apartment and returned a few minutes later, Chavez said, and a fight ensued between Varba and Avarado. They both left the sister’s home and Varba returned and was shot “multiple times,” Chavez added.

At 3:40 a.m., Avarado was arrested at his residence in the 600 block of East Borchard Avenue in Santa Ana, police said.