Irvine, CA (Sept. 30, 2015): The Irvine Police Department (IPD) has arrested a suspect for a felony assault on an elderly woman as well as animal cruelty charges. Craig Andrew Ledbetter, age 51, of Irvine was arrested yesterday and was booked into Orange County Jail.
Booking Charges: Penal Code §243(d) – Aggravated Assault; Penal Code §368(b)(1) – Elder Abuse; Penal Code §148(a)(1) – Resisting a Police Officer; Penal Code §597(A) – Animal Cruelty
On September 29, 2015 at approximately 2:30 p.m., IPD units responded to a report of a man acting strangely on Rockwood Street. When officers arrived, they found Ledbetter who was naked and was swinging a stick aggressively. Ledbetter ignored officers’ commands and acted assaultive towards them. The officers used a taser to subdue Ledbetter and take him into custody. Officers also located a 75 year old female nearby that had been the victim of an assault. The woman was transported to an area hospital where she is currently being treated for injuries received during the assault.
Through further investigation, it was learned that the victim had been walking her dog when she was assaulted by Ledbetter. There is no known motive for the assault and it does not appear that Ledbetter and the victim knew each other prior to the assault. After assaulting the victim, Ledbetter forcibly took the victim’s dog from her. The force of this act caused the dog to come loose from its collar and run from the area. Irvine Police Department Animal Services Officers searched extensively throughout the afternoon and evening and were able to locate the dog late last night. The animal was uninjured and was returned home.
The circumstances surrounding this crime are under investigation. Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to call Detective Gavin Hudson at 949-724-7168.