LOS ANGELES — A transient has been charged with attacking Metro security guards and stealing from Los Angeles police vehicles during a crime spree at Union Station last week.
Max Verdi, 31, faces four felony counts each of attempted murder and second-degree burglary of vehicle as well as one count of vandalism over $400 damage.
Verdi also faces a special allegation of causing great bodily injury.
Verdi is charged with burglarizing several vehicles at Union Station, including two LAPD patrol cars whose front windows were smashed on Jan. 23. When a man tried to stop Verdi from burglarizing a vehicle, Verdi allegedly swung at him with an ice ax he had stolen earlier from another vehicle, prosecutors said.
When security guards attempted to detain him, Verdi reportedly ran into their vehicle and attempted to run them over before crashing into a pillar. Verdi then allegedly escaped on foot and struck a security guard in the head with the ice ax, prosecutors added.
If convicted as charged, he faces a possible maximum sentence of more than 16 years to life in state prison. Bail is set at $4.18 million.
