Man assaulted with tire iron in Woodland

Authorities believe suspects followed a man from a Sacramento bank to a Woodland gas station Friday morning, where the man was struck with a tire iron and left with a head injury.

Officers responded to reports of an altercation between two men — one wielding a tire iron — at 10:40 a.m. outside an AM/PM at 450 County Road 102, according to Sgt. Victoria Danzl of the Woodland Police Department.

Once there, police found a 29-year-old Sacramento man with a moderate head injury. Danzl wrote in a press release that the victim had just withdrawn a large sum of cash from a bank in Sacramento, and a suspect had attempted to rob him as he stopped for gas in Woodland on his way to Redding.

The incident allegedly began when a suspect, depicted by the release as a black male in his late 20s to early 30s, approached the victim as he was pumping gas and demanded his money.

“The victim denied having money at which time he was struck over the head with a tire iron,” Danzl wrote. “The victim ran into the business for assistance. The suspect followed the victim swinging the tire iron and demanding money.”

After attempting to summon help, the victim emptied his pockets to show there was no cash on him. The suspect smashed the victim’s car window and began rummaging through it.

The victim responded by pulling the would-be robber away, who then fled the scene in a gold Nissan Altima or Saturn — driven by an accomplice.

Danzl reported that the victim recognized the escaped vehicle’s driver as another customer in the bank in Sacramento. The suspect’s accomplice is described as a thin Latina female.

There is no word on whether the suspect managed to escape with any money. As for the victim, his injury was not life-threatening and he was treated by paramedics at the scene.

Police are still searching for the suspect, who was described as approximately 5-foot-8-inches tall and with a weight of between 190 and 220 pounds. He wore a red hooded sweatshirt and had a goatee or beard.

Those with information on the alleged assault are encouraged to call Woodland Police Department at 530-661-7800.