A man who tried to break up a fight between two other men was killed, police said Saturday.
The incident began at about 5 p.m. Friday when an elderly man and another man, identified by police as Richard Jack Ramirez, 53, were involved in a road rage clash, Oceanside Police Department Officer Tom Bussey said.
The elderly man drove to his home in the 4700 block of Westridge Drive and Ramirez followed him there, Bussey said.
“Both men exited their vehicles and a verbal argument ensued,” the officer said. “The victim in this case tried to intervene between the two men and was physically assaulted by Ramirez.”
Police and paramedics arrived on scene shortly after the fight and began treating the 44-year-old man who was bleeding from his head and not breathing, Bussey said. He was later pronounced dead at the scene.
Ramirez fled the area after the assault and was later arrested by police, Bussey said.
He was booked into the Vista Detention Facility at 3:42 a.m. Saturday on suspicion of murder, jail records said. His arraignment is scheduled for Feb. 19.