A Santa Barbara rapper accused of attempted murder will appear in court for arraignment on Wednesday.
Mario Alberto Hernandez-Pacheco, 30, is charged with attempted murder and second-degree robbery with enhancements for causing great bodily injury and assault for the benefit of the Eastside street gang.
Mr. Hernandez-Pacheco has pleaded not guilty and remains in County Jail without bail.
During a preliminary hearing on June 17, Judge James Herman determined evidence was sufficient for Mr. Hernandez-Pacheco to stand trial as charged. He will appear before Judge Herman on Wednesday for a second arraignment on the upheld charges in the Anacapa Division of the Santa Barbara County Superior Court.
During the preliminary hearing, Santa Barbara Police Department Detective Ryan Aijian testified that at around 12:30 a.m. on July 23, 2018, the minor victim, referred to as A.S. in court documents, called 9-1-1 to report the attack.
The victim was taken to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital where doctors discovered he suffered a 15-centimeter stab wound to the top of his head, a fractured skull, a stab wound to his shoulder and bruises over his chest and arms.
The victim claimed on the afternoon of July 22, 2018, he met up with two other juveniles to sell drugs, including marijuana, ecstasy, psychedelic mushrooms and acid. The victim suspected one of the juveniles was an Eastside gang member.
That evening the boys drove to the Speedy Mart convenience store on North Milpas Street and picked up Mr. Hernandez-Pacheco. Security footage at the store appears to show Mr. Hernandez-Pacheco purchase a set of Swisher Sweets with two of the juveniles at around 11:30 p.m.
Detective Aijian continued that the victim claimed he drove the group from Speedy Mart to the Cacique footbridge where they met up with another suspected Eastside gang member who has not been identified.
The victim said the man wore a yellow striped shirt polo shirt and claimed he wanted to purchase marijuana. The victim told Detective Aijian he took the man in the yellow shirt to his car to finish the deal, but when they got inside the car the man brandished a knife and took his backpack of drugs.
The victim claimed the group attacked him when he threatened to call the police if they did not return his backpack, Detective Aijian testified.
He told the detective all four men participated in the beating. The victim claimed he attempted to fight back by shooting the man in the yellow shirt with a replica BB gun dropped by one of his attackers.
The man grabbed the gun and someone struck him with it, the victim claimed. He said during the attack he felt a sharp pain in his head and when his attackers finally left, he felt pressure escaping his head and bubbling coming from a stab wound.
Mr. Hernandez-Pacheco was arrested Aug. 3, 2018 at an Old Spanish Days Fiesta event. The two juveniles were arrested the next day at their homes.
