Hospitals in California running out of room in face of COVID-19 surge
By Associated Press | December 23, 2020 at 11:36 PM EST – Updated December 23 at 11:36 PM
LANCASTER, Calif. (AP) – An elderly man hospitalized in Southern California for treatment of COVID-19 was fatally struck by a roommate who became annoyed when the victim began praying, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said Wednesday.
The 82-year-old victim was struck with an oxygen tank on Dec. 17 while housed in a two-person room at Antelope Valley Hospital in Lancaster and died the next day, the department said in a statement. His name was not released.
The suspect, Jesse Martinez, 37, was arrested and charged with murder and other crimes, the department said.
Martinez was being held on $1 million bail and was scheduled for an initial court appearance on Dec. 28. It was not immediately known if he has a lawyer who could speak on his behalf.
The Sheriff’s Department said the investigation was continuing.
Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
