Man Dies of Blow to Throat From Quarrel Bystander

SANTA ANA —  A 19-year-old Huntington Beach man who crumpled to the street after a stranger punched him once in the throat was taken off life support Thursday and pronounced dead, police said.

Robert Lee Gonzales died about 1:45 a.m. at UCI Medical Center in Orange, and the attack on him is being investigated as a homicide, according to Santa Ana Police Sgt. Dennis Sebastianelli.

Police said witnesses told them that Gonzales was arguing with his girlfriend when a stranger intervened, leading to a curbside confrontation. The stranger punched Gonzales once, perhaps crushing his windpipe, police speculated.

An autopsy will be performed today, Police Lt. Hugh Mooney said.

Investigators continued Thursday to interview witnesses, hoping to put together a sketch of the man who struck Gonzales, Mooney said.

It was not clear from witness accounts whether the unknown man used a martial arts-style blow to fell Gonzales, or if the punch was a fluke, Mooney said.

Gonzales and his 17-year-old girlfriend--whose name was withheld by police--were arguing about 10:30 p.m. Monday as they sat in his car at a red light in the 4500 block of West 1st Street.

The girlfriend, a Santa Ana resident, bolted from the car and Gonzales shouted at her and chased her, witnesses told police. Then a bystander approached and warned Gonzales not to mistreat the girl, Mooney said.

Gonzales swore at the stranger, who then struck the 19-year-old and quickly left the area, police said. The girl did not see a weapon in the stranger’s hand.

The assailant was described as white, from 35 to 40 years old and wearing shorts and a T-shirt, police said.