San Gabriel mayor arrested on felony robbery, assault charges

The mayor of the city of San Gabriel was arrested Friday on felony robbery and assault charges. Police say he took a woman’s purse and sped down a residential street with her clinging to the side of his sport utility vehicle.

Mayor Albert Y.M. Huang was released from custody Friday after posting $100,000 bail at 10:30 a.m., said Lt. Ariel Duran of the San Gabriel Police Department.

Police said they received a call at about 1:15 a.m. Friday about a heated argument between Huang and a woman, and investigators later determined the two were arguing over money outside a restaurant in the 300 block of West Valley Boulevard.

Huang took the woman’s purse, which contained her car keys, cash and personal belongings and got into her car, according to Duran.

Police said the woman attempted to prevent him from leaving by reaching through the vehicle’s window, but then Huang pushed the woman, got out of her car and climbed into his own Nissan SUV.

The woman then reached through the passenger window of Huang’s SUV and stood on its running boards, Duran said. Huang accelerated to as fast as 45 mph down Prospect Avenue with the woman hanging on, the officer said.

“It’s a 25-mph speed limit zone, and he’s doing 45 with the female hanging on the car,” Duran said.

Huang drove more than a quarter mile with the woman on his car, Duran said.

A security guard at a local business saw what was going on and detained Huang and the woman until officers arrived.

Officers arrested Huang, 35, on charges of felony robbery and felony assault by means likely to produce great injury and battery. Duran said there was no indication Huang was intoxicated at the time, and he was not charged with driving under the influence.

The 33-year-old woman, whose name was not released, was not seriously injured, Duran said, adding that it was unclear what her relationship was with Huang.

Diana Aguilar, an executive assistant at San Gabriel City Hall, said Huang had served on the council since 2006. He was appointed mayor in 2009, she said.

According to a personal biography he submitted to the city, Huang is married and has a daughter. He works in real estate development and lectures at the USC School of Architecture.

sam.allen@latimes.com