2nd Suspect in Beating Out on Bail

As Laguna Beach police concluded their investigation into the beating of a 55-year-old man on a local beach, the second adult suspect in the case was released on $30,000 bail.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Craig McKinnon said Wednesday that charges will be filed against Christopher Michael Cribbins, 22, of San Clemente by the end of the week.

Cribbins posted bail Tuesday evening. Laguna Beach police unsuccessfully sought to raise the original $10,000 bail to $100,000, but it was finally set at $30,000, Capt. William Cavenaugh said.

The arraignment of Cribbins, who was arrested on suspicion of assault with intent to do great bodily harm and violating a Laguna Beach hate-crime ordinance, was postponed Wednesday in Municipal Court in Laguna Niguel until Feb. 9.

Cribbins, a clerk at a Mission Viejo leather and suede store, is one of three males who allegedly participated in the near-fatal beating of Loc Minh Truong early Saturday on a beach behind three Laguna Beach gay bars. Police say the suspects went to the area looking for gays.

Jeff Michael Raines, 18, of San Juan Capistrano has been charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, inflicting great bodily injury and a hate crime. he is being held in Orange County Jail on $250,000 bail.

Police also arrested a 16-year-old San Juan Capistrano boy, a former San Clemente Police Explorer, on suspicion of breaking curfew and obstructing the Laguna Beach investigation after he allegedly lied about the beating. He has been released to the custody of his parents, and no decision has been made on whether he will be charged, the prosecutor said.

While police have described Raines as the “main principal” behind the beating, Cribbins is accused of pushing the victim down onto a rocky stretch of the beach.

Police said Raines and Cribbins had talked about going to Laguna Beach to “beat up some” gays that night before driving toward the Little Shrimp, a gay bar next to the beach where the beating took place.

Although the suspects were part of a group of eight teen-agers who drove to the area, police said Wednesday that they do not expect to make any additional arrests in the case.

“It would appear to me that we have the three major players,” Capt. Cavenaugh said. “We are just wrapping it up now.”