Happy holiday? Man robbed, beaten after giving stranger a ride

A good Samaritan in a holiday mood was beaten and robbed after giving a ride to someone he thought was a man in need on Thanksgiving, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office reported.

The victim’s nightmare began about 10 p.m. Thursday while he was fueling up at a gas station near Highway 99 and Belmont Avenue. Sheriff’s spokesman Tony Botti said a man later identified as Eddie Arreola, 29, asked for a ride to a friend’s house. The victim agreed, thinking it would be a good thing to do on Thanksgiving.

He drove Arreola to South Prospect Avenue, between Jensen and Church avenues, where Arreola asked to borrow the man’s phone. Arreola got out of the car to complete his call and a few minutes later, three men walked out of a nearby house and began to punch the victim before taking his phone, designer sunglasses, shoes and cash.

Arreola also was going to take the car, but was dissuaded by the other men, Botti said.

As the victim drove away, he flagged down two Fresno police officers. Police notified sheriff’s deputies because the crime occurred in the county. The victim guided deputies back to the house, deputies pulled over a car nearby and Arreola was arrested and booked on charges of robbery, attempted carjacking and violation of probation.

While in custody, Arreola was booked on the additional felony charge of battery after he kicked a door, injuring an officer, said Botti, who noted Arreola has been arrested 21 times since 2009.

Two other people in the car with Arreola were booked for minor offenses, including possession of a “shave key” used to steal cars, along with a drug possession warrant.

This story was originally published November 27, 2017 at 1:25 PM with the headline "Happy holiday? Man robbed, beaten after giving stranger a ride."