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DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES () — Charges have been filed against the 19-year-old woman accused of attacking a street vendor at her stand in downtown Los Angeles, an incident that was all caught on video.
L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hochman on Tuesday announced the charges against Harmunie Heaven Church, who was arrested last week. She is facing one felony count each of assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury, aggravated battery and vandalism.
Church pleaded not guilty to all counts on Monday. Her bail was set at $105,000.
“Street vendors and small business owners deserve to work without fear of violence or intimidation,” Hochman said in a press release. “This was an alleged brutal attack on a member of our community, and we are hopeful the victim makes a full recovery from her injuries. Our office will aggressively prosecute those who target vulnerable victims and small business owners, and we will seek to hold the defendant fully accountable for this senseless act of violence.”
If convicted as charged, Church faces up to seven years and eight months in state prison.
Video of the incident shows some type of argument between a woman and the street vendor earlier this month. The woman is seen dumping hot sauce on the vendor’s hot dogs, causing the vendor to throw a red powder at the woman. The altercation quickly escalated to a physical attack.
The woman approaches the street vendor as the vendor tries to get away. Both then fall to the ground and the woman throws punches to the back of the vendor’s head, according to the video.
Bystanders attempt to separate the women and stop the attack. As the vendor is being helped up from the ground and begins walking away, the video shows the woman coming up behind the vendor and once again begins to beat her on the head and face before pulling the vendor by the hair and onto the ground.
Several people eventually manage to stop the attack and pull the woman away as she attempts to attack the vendor a third time.
A GoFundMe page set up by the victim’s son identifies the street vendor as Arabelia Martinez.
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