Unprovoked Attack On 68-Year-Old Winchester Man Leaves Grave Injuries

WINCHESTER, CA — A man in his 60s who was punched in the face last month while working at a Winchester store remains hospitalized, according to his family, and the alleged attacker is facing serious felony charges.

Carlos Munguia, 68, was opening his eyes Tuesday though he still can’t talk, according to a family update posted on GoFundMe.

It will take time to know how the Winchester resident will recover because the Oct. 27 blow he received was two-fold: first the punch, then a fall that caused the back of his head to slam against cement ground. Furthermore, the unconscious Munguia was not discovered until about 15 minutes after the incident, the family stated.

Munguia's ordeal was documented by his grandson in the GoFundMe post.

"The unprovoked attack has resulted in severe facial injuries, including fractures, lacerations, multiple skull fractures, brain bleeding and other complications that have required multiple surgeries," the post reads. "As a result, he is experiencing immense pain and discomfort, and his quality of life has been significantly affected. In addition to the physical injuries, the emotional toll on my grandfather has been devastating. He is struggling to come to terms with the senseless act of violence that he experienced, and it has left him feeling vulnerable and fearful."

Izack Ramirez, 25, is accused in the broad daylight attack. He pleaded not guilty to cruelty to an elder and assault causing serious bodily injury — both felonies. He also denied a sentencing enhancement of causing great bodily injury.

KTLA spoke to the family about the attack that was caught on video surveillance. The silent footage shows Munguia using a dolly to take out trash. He was on the job at Sun Valley Market and Liquor on Simpson Road where he had worked for four years, according to the KTLA report.

A man wearing a plaid overshirt and carrying a backpack approaches as Munguia walks to a dumpster, the video shows. The man follows. The two eventually stop and talk for a few seconds. That is when the man, identified by authorities as Ramirez, punches Munguia.

Munguia falls backward, the dolly landing on top of him, and doesn't move. The suspect quickly grabs his backpack and flees on foot, the video shows.

Riverside County sheriff's deputies caught up with Ramirez shortly after 10 a.m. the next day at Winchester Road and Wesley Street, according to jail records. Following his arrest and Nov. 1 arraignment, Ramirez is due back in court Wednesday for a preliminary hearing. He remains jailed at Southwest Detention Center in lieu of $100,000 bail. He has no felony convictions in Riverside County, court records show.

In a Tuesday update, Munguia's grandson wrote on GoFundMe that it's unclear how the family patriarch's memory will be affected, "but we’re praying for the best."