A National City Police detective testified Monday he dodged a murder suspect wildly swinging a boxcutter towards him. When the suspect realized he would be arrested, he sliced his own neck three times, the detective said.
The testimony of detective Darren Pierson came in the preliminary hearing of Luis Solis Karam, 30, and Roger Francisco Hernandez, 31, who are both charged with killing Juan Munoz, Jr., 18, in National City on Oct. 11, 2015.
Seven witnesses were presented Monday before Chula Vista Superior Court Judge Roderick Shelton and the hearing was expected to conclude this week. About 20 friends and family of Munoz attended the hearing and they had a short group prayer in a hallway before the hearing started.
Karam is also charged with attempted murder and assault of the detective shortly before his arrest on Nov. 15, 2018.
Both Karam and Hernandez are accused of attempted murder of Carlos Medrano, 17, who was wounded after a man in a Nissan Altima got out of the car and fired multiple shots at him and Munoz in the 1600 block of Prospect Street in National City.
Pierson said authorities were following Karam when his girlfriend picked him up after he got off work at a construction site in San Ysidro. At some point, Karam realized he was being followed by law enforcement, and he tried to elude them “at speeds over 100 mph,” said Pierson.
Pierson said they feared Karam would drive into Mexico, so they maneuvered vehicles to block him in traffic. Pierson said he got out and pointed a gun at him, saying “Police. Don’t move.” Karam responded with an expletive.
Pierson said he heard a U.S. marshall tell him “he’s got a knife,” and saw Karam holding a box cutter in a menacing manner as he was about to leave his car. “I’m gonna (expletive) kill you!” Karam responded, according to the detective.
Pierson said Karam was swinging the box cutter at him and he considered shooting him.
“I’m not going to prison for the rest of my life! I didn’t even do it,” said Karam, according to the detective.
Pierson said they had not yet told Karam for what crime he was going to be arrested.
“He put the box cutter right to his neck,” said Pierson. “I’ll do it,” warned Karam.
Pierson said Karam took three long swipes at his own neck, causing him to bleed profusely.
“We were pleading with him to drop the knife. He kept saying ‘Kill me! Kill me!” said Pierson.
Karam was handcuffed and taken by ambulance to a hospital.
The charges allege that Karam and Hernandez killed Munoz and wounded Medrano to benefit a criminal street gang. Daniel Duran, a National City police officer, testified a gang challenge was yelled out by a passenger in the Nissan before he fired shots at Munoz and Medrano in Munoz’s white Honda Civic.
An ambulance took Munoz to a hospital where he died, said Duran. He was shot twice in the chest and in the shoulder. One bullet exited his neck, according to Sgt. Roberto Gonzales.
Both Karam and Hernandez remain in jail on $5 million and $3 million respectively.
