A 36-year-old man has been charged with pistol-whipping another man over a dispute about a handball game in Irvine, authorities said.
Santos Arturo Ochoa was charged with attempted murder, assault with a firearm and possession of an undetectable gun, all felonies. He also faces sentencing enhancements for attempted premeditated murder, discharge of a gun and committing an offense while out on bail.
Ochoa was out on bail on two counts of carrying a concealed loaded unregistered gun, a count of leading police on a chase, all felonies, and a misdemeanor count of possession of nitrous oxide.
Police were called at about 5:45 p.m. Monday to University Park, where the victim said he was shot in the head, according to Ziggy Azarcon of the Irvine Police Department. The victim was not shot in the head, but was struck with a pistol, Azarcon said.
Ochoa was arrested nearby in an apartment complex and the dispute the two had was over a handball game, Azarcon said.
Ochoa did not enter a plea Wednesday in the jail courtroom in Santa Ana. He is scheduled to be arraigned Dec. 17 in the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach.