Deputies rescue attempted murder suspect from suicide try

A 52-year-old Altadena man, a suspect in the assault of his sister last night, was rescued this afternoon by Altadena deputies who found him in a car near the Rose Bowl with a slashed neck and wrist.


According to Altadena Sheriff Capt. Steven McLean, Ronald Poole, 52, had been named as a suspect in the assault of his 66-year-old sister overnight Wednesday night/Thursday morning.  After being found bleeding near the Rose Bowl at about 3 this afternoon, he was transported to Huntington Memorial Hospital, where he was treated for his injuries and is presently in sheriff's custody.  McLean said that Poole will likely be charged with attempted murder for the assault of his sister.

The sister, who was not identified, is presently in the hospital in stable condition, McLean said. A sheriff's report said she had been assaulted with hands, fists, and shod feet.

According to McLean, Altadena Station received a call about 11 AM from a brother-in-law of Poole's, who said that Poole had called him and left messages indicating that he was despondent over the assault and that he would kill himself.  Deputies responded to a residence on the 600 block of Crosby, where Poole was living, where they were let in by another resident of the home.  Deputies found "several pools of blood" on the floor, McLean said, and found that Poole was the named suspect in the assault.

Deputies then organized a search for Poole.  Thanks to what McLean said was "good investigative work," deputies found him in the car with the apparently self-inflicted injuries.

Deputies called paramedics, who transported Poole to the hospital where he underwent emergency surgery, McLean said.

"I believe, thanks to the quick actions of everybody involved, there is a good chance we saved his life, " McLean said.

The home on Crosby is presently being processed as a crime scene, with Altadena detectives investigating.