Corona police arrest robbery, assault with firearm suspects

By Staff and City News Service

Corona police on Tuesday arrested three suspects accused of attempting to steal a catalytic converter in a residential neighborhood, then assaulting the vehicle owner with a sharp metal tool and handgun, authorities said.

Corona police officers responded Nov. 14 to the 1000 block of E. Francis Street after receiving a call reporting an assault with a firearm, according to the Corona Police Department.

“A 58-year-old resident reported confronting two Hispanic male adults attempting to steal his catalytic converter,” police said. “During the contact, one suspect swung a Sawzall-type tool at the victim. The other suspect approached the victim, pointed a handgun at him, and fired a round before fleeing from the location in a gray 2007 Ford Mustang.”

The victim of the attempted theft and assault was uninjured during the incident, police said.

Corona police detectives, the department’s Special Response Team and the Riverside County West Post-Release Accountability Compliance Team served search warrants at four separate residences in Riverside, Fontana and Yucaipa, according to police.

“During the searches authorities recovered matching clothing worn by the suspects, burglary tools commonly used to cut catalytic converters, two catalytic converters, and an unregistered firearm,” according to police.

Yucaipa residents Ricky Lopez, 19, Jacobo Lopez, 21, and 18-year-old Christian Rios were arrested without incident and taken to the Riverside County jail.

Ricky Lopez and Jacobo Lopez were booked for the robbery, assault with a firearm, discharging a Firearm and conspiracy. Rios was booked for conspiracy.

Detectives were granted a bail enhancement of $500,000 for each suspect.

The Lopez brothers pleaded not guilty Thursday during a joint arraignment before Riverside County Superior Court Judge Gail O’Rane, who scheduled a felony settlement conference for Feb. 28 at the Riverside Hall of Justice.

Ricky Lopez is charged only with robbery, but his older sibling is additionally charged with gun assault and reckless discharge of a firearm.

Prosecutors have yet to file charges against Rios,