Gunman Trails, Then Wounds Poker Winner, Friend

A man who had just won $9,000 playing poker and his companion were slightly injured Friday morning when shots were fired at their car in Granada Hills during a possible robbery attempt, police said.

One of the victims was grazed on his head and the other was nicked on the arm during the 2:45 a.m. shooting at the intersection of Louise Avenue and Signature Drive, Los Angeles Police Lt. Harvie Eubank said. The names of the victims were not released.

The two men were driving home from the Bicycle Club in Bell Gardens, where legalized card games are held, when the driver noticed that he was being followed as he came off the Simi Valley Freeway, police said. The driver tried to get away, but the car following him sped up and forced his car to the curb.

Eubank said that after the card players’ car stopped, a man with a gun jumped out of the other car and approached.

“One of the victims saw the gun and yelled, ‘Get out of here,’ and they tried to drive off,” Eubank said.

The victims’ car went up on the curb and sheared off a fire hydrant, sending water spraying into the street. Meanwhile, the gunman jumped back into the other car, which police believe contained at least one other man, and the car sped away.

Eubank said detectives were unsure whether the men had been followed because of the large amount of money one had won at the card club.

“We don’t know whether they were just picked up coming off a freeway or followed all the way from the card club,” Eubank said. “We are not quite sure this was a robbery attempt. There were no demands for money.”

The victims were taken to Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills where they were treated and released.