Man Held in Attack on Ex-Wife, 2 Men

A Canoga Park man on probation for beating his former wife was arrested Tuesday after he allegedly chased her car through rush-hour traffic, crashed into it, attacked her and critically injured two men as he stole a getaway car, Los Angeles police said.

Police identified the man as 41-year-old Benjamin Reyes, who was arrested in San Diego. Police said he was being held on suspicion of auto theft but will be charged with attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon.

Detective Michael Brandt said Reyes, driving a stolen car, rammed into a car driven by his recently divorced wife, Maria, 38, on Winnetka Avenue in Canoga Park and continued to chase her, forcing her to hit a fire hydrant and another car before she stopped.

Brandt said Reyes pulled her from the car and beat her until passers-by came to her aid. Reyes ran to the 20200 block of Londelius Street, where he stole another car, Brandt said.

Janson Chan, 30, owner of the car, and Minh Tich, attempted to stop the theft, but Reyes knocked both to the ground, Brandt said. He jumped into the car, backed it over Tich, and sped away, Brandt said.

Maria Reyes was treated for cuts and bruises at Northridge Hospital Medical Center, where Chan and Tich were in critical but stable condition, officials said. Chan suffered a fractured skull and Tich suffered major chest injuries, Brandt said.

Reyes was arrested after midnight by San Diego police officers who saw the stolen car there.