Santa Cruz man assaults stranger believed to be ‘Charles Manson’

SANTA CRUZ — A man is facing felony assault and elder abuse charges this week after allegedly severely beating a man he thought was Charles Manson, police said.

Santa Cruz Police Department officers arrested Charles Bonin, 35, on New Year’s Eve after responding to a report of a group fight shortly after 2 p.m. at the Town Clock.

Police later determined that Bonin allegedly had injured a 66-year-old man, giving him significant facial and head injuries that required treatment at an out-of-county medical center, according to Santa Cruz Deputy Police Chief Jon Bush. Officers arrested Bonin on suspicion of attempted murder and related charges, but formal charges later filed by the Santa Cruz County District Attorney’s Office did not pursue the attempted murder. Bonin, held at the Santa Cruz County Jail without bail Wednesday, was scheduled to be arraigned Thursday morning at the Santa Cruz County Superior Court on charges of assault with great bodily injury, elder abuse and battery with bodily injury.

Bonin, according to Bush, told police that he saw the victim and believed him to be the deceased cult leader Manson, due to him having a forehead tattoo. The attack, according to Bush, was out of Bonin’s alleged belief that he was protecting the community. Both the alleged assailant and victim in the fight were described by police as transients.

“Due to the extent of the injuries and the gentleman’s intent that he was trying to kill (the victim), we booked him for attempted murder,” Bush said.

The assault victim was recovering from significant injuries but was expected to live, according to Bush.