Allegedly Troubled Man Found Bullet-Riddled but Alive

A man whose parents told a court he was sometimes violent and troubled by drugs was found within blocks of their home Friday with six bullet holes in his body and in critical condition.

Paul A. Vidana Jr., 23, of Santa Ana, whose parents had a restraining order against him, was found unconscious on a sidewalk at 1329 N. King St. at 3:39 a.m. by passing motorists.

“They were just some citizens driving through the area,” Lt. Robert Helton said. “They saw his body lying on the sidewalk and at first they were scared but then they made a U-turn and called us.”

Police said they have no suspects in the case.

Vidana was in critical condition at UCI Medical Center. He had been shot five times in his upper torso and in his right eye by an assault-type weapon, Helton said.

“We’re treating this as an attempted homicide. We’ve been out interviewing but we have no idea who could be responsible or what the motive is,” Helton said.

According to court records, Vidana’s parents obtained an order in August restraining him from coming within 100 yards of them.

On Aug. 7, “he was out of control and under drugs or alcohol,” Paul M. Vidana Sr., 47, said in the documents. “I called the police to remove him from my house. He verbally attacked me and acted like he wanted to fight. He was asked to leave by a police officer and later returned to my house to threaten me again. He threw objects at my security door and made threats at me and my wife.

“If Paul Vidana continues to live with me and my wife in his drug or alcohol state he will try to harm me or my wife. . . . I am asking the court to grant us this restraining order before someone gets hurt,” he said.

Vidana also said that his son hit him and broke his nose in January.

In the documents, the younger Vidana was alleged to have broken chairs and mirrors and made holes in the walls and doors.

Ernie Aguilar, Paul Vidana Jr.’s brother-in-law, said Friday he is “a good kid. As far as I know he wasn’t in any gangs.” Aguilar said the family had spent most of the day at the hospital.