Man arrested for armed assault in downtown Palo Alto on Monday
- Police arrested a man after he allegedly attacked another man during a robbery in downtown Palo Alto.
- The victim, who suffered facial injuries, reported that the suspect demanded his money and phone before the assault.
- Cesar Pineda, 39, was booked into jail on suspicion of robbery and assault with a deadly weapon.
On Monday afternoon, police responded to a report of a fight between two men in downtown Palo Alto. The incident occurred around 3:20 p.m. on the 300 block of University Avenue, where officers found a man in his 30s with facial injuries. The victim explained that he had been attacked during a robbery attempt by a stranger. Prior to the assault, the victim was outside a CVS store when the suspect approached him, demanding money and his phone. When the victim refused to comply, the suspect snatched his hat and fled into the CVS. The victim pursued him inside the store and confronted him at the back door. In a violent escalation, the suspect punched and kicked the victim in the face, then attempted to slash him with a knife that had been attached to the victim's belt. After the attack, the suspect fled the scene. Law enforcement quickly located the suspect, identified as 39-year-old Cesar Pineda from San Jose, near the Downtown Transit Center. He was detained by officers at the intersection of El Camino Real and Quarry Road. The victim sustained minor injuries and received treatment at the scene from firefighters. Pineda was subsequently booked into Santa Clara County Jail on charges of robbery and assault with a deadly weapon. He is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday afternoon, facing serious legal consequences for his actions during the incident.