Arrest made in vicious beating of senior man at Buena Park bus stop

BUENA PARK, Calif. (KABC) -- Police arrested a suspect in connection with the brutal beating of a senior man who was waiting at a bus stop in Buena Park, with the shocking attack caught on camera.

Video appears to show the 65-year-old man being pushed into the street and stomped in the head several times at the bus stop at Beach Boulevard and Orangethorpe Avenue around 8:15 a.m.

Wednesday. The suspect then picks up bags on the bus stop's bench before stealing the victim's bike and riding off eastbound on Orangethorpe Avenue, according to Buena Park police.

"The two were apparently involved in a verbal argument prior to the assault, but witness statements and video footage shows that the assault was clearly one-sided," police said in a statement.

The victim was in critical but stable condition at a local hospital and was still unconscious as of Friday morning, according to authorities.

On Friday morning, Fullerton police arrested the suspect, who allegedly went on another rampage just hours after the first attack. The suspect was identified as 33-year-old Kenneth Heimlich from Placentia.

"A man was just brutally beating, like, hitting someone," a witness said. "Eventually, he went unconscious, and he started kicking him and stepping on his face."

The witness said the beating happened just feet from her office. She said officers arrived quickly after someone pushed an emergency call button.

After seeing the Buena Park video, a Fullerton police investigator made the connection.

"They contacted our investigators and by this morning, they were able to positively identify the suspect in both cases," said Buena Park PD Sgt. Mike Lovchik.

Heimlich faces numerous charges including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and robbery.

The Fullerton victim remains in the hospital.

"We're very thankful that a person of violence of this magnitude is in custody, and that hopefully he'll be going away for a long time, and we won't be able to do this again," Lovchik added.

Officials said Heimlich was on probation at the time of his arrest. He's expected to be in court sometime next week.

If anyone has information on the assault or the suspect, they are asked to contact the Buena Park Police Department at-714-562-3901, or information can be anonymously provided to Orange County Crime Stoppers at 855-TIP-OCCS (855-847-6227).

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