Transient arrested on attempted murder charge

A 51-year-old transient was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of attempting to kill a good Samaritan who stopped him from yelling obscenities at a woman on San Fernando Road, police said.

The transient, Leonard Ochoa, was taken into custody just after 2:16 p.m. in connection with attempted murder after he brandished a knife and threatened to kill the other man who stepped in, Glendale Police Sgt. Tom Lorenz said.

Ochoa had just exited the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services and was pushing his shopping cart on the 4600 block of San Fernando Road when he began yelling obscenities at a woman who was walking by him, according to police reports.

The good Samaritan, who was seated on a nearby retaining wall, shouted at Ochoa, advising him that his rants were “uncalled for,” according to police.

Ochoa walked over to the man, stood six feet away and told him, “We are going to fight to the death,” according to the incident report.

Ochoa then allegedly reached into a duffel bag, pulled out a 12-inch knife, and came at the man swinging the blade.

The man, who was not hurt in the alleged attack, quickly backed away to avoid being stabbed.

A passerby yelled at Ochoa to stop and he eventually returned the knife to the duffel bag and walked away while pushing the shopping cart, police said.

Police arrested Ochoa on San Fernando Road near Pacific Avenue.