LOS ALAMITOS : City Finance Officer Faces Assault Charge

The city finance officer, arrested on suspicion of hitting his daughter’s ex-boyfriend with a baseball bat, was ordered released on his own recognizance Wednesday.

Richard Patino, 61, of Anaheim faces a charge of assault with a deadly weapon, said a spokeswoman for the Riverside County district attorney’s office.

Police arrested Patino at his daughter’s home in the 10000 block of Medallion Street in Riverside on Monday, where he allegedly had struck Bradley Staten, 38, with a baseball bat during an argument. Police Detective Jim Cannon said both men suffered bruises and cuts to their hands and faces.

The incident followed an earlier argument between Staten and Patino’s daughter, said Patino’s wife, Hertha.

“She broke up with him nine months ago,” Hertha Patino said. “It’s been off and on for a while now. . . . He has been nothing but trouble.”

Hertha Patino said neighbors called her husband about a fight between Staten and her daughter, so the Patinos drove to Riverside to “make sure she was OK.”

“My husband did not go there to do any damage,” she said. “We just wanted to protect our daughter.”

Gerard Goedhart, Los Alamitos assistant city manager, said: “There’s been trouble there for months. (Staten) has been harassing the daughter for some time.

“When we first heard (about the arrest), we were shocked. . . . But the bottom line is he was defending his daughter.”

He said city officials have pledged their support for Patino, who has been an employee for 18 years.

“We will support the family through this,” Goedhart said. “I think very highly of Rick. He’s a hard worker, dedicated and an outstanding person.”