Man in wheelchair fatally stabbed after former caregiver crashes into his Irvine home, police say

IRVINE, Calif. (KABC) -- A man who uses a wheelchair was killed early Monday when his former caretaker crashed into his Irvine home and stabbed him to death. Police later fatally shot the suspect.

The investigation focused on two separate locations.

The first scene was on Whistling Swan near Wetstone, where a minivan crashed into a home around 2:15 a.m. Responding officers found the victim dead with apparent stab wounds. He was identified as John Alexander Bash III, 38.

Eyewitness News spoke with a man who said the victim was his brother-in-law.

"My brother-in-law was an amazing person.... He had an accident... multiple years ago. He had a spinal injury and he was confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life," said Lindsey Myers. "In this situation, he's a defenseless victim, and he just had no chance to defend himself."

Investigators said the suspect, 47-year-old Aaron Matthew Shindle, was Bash's former caregiver.

The second incident happened a short distance away about an hour later. Around 3:25 a.m., Irvine officers contacted Shindle near Stone Creek South and West Yale Loop.

Police said Shindle raised a weapon at officers, which led them to open fire. Shindle was struck and taken to a hospital, where he later died.

Authorities said a knife was recovered at the scene. No officers were injured.