A Culver City stabbing victim and his alleged assailant were fighting for their lives this afternoon following a spectacular late-night spree both inside and behind the Scarlet Lady, a bar on South Sepulveda Boulevard.
Culver City police said that as Monday night was morphing into Tuesday near the corner of Sepulveda and Sawtelle, frenzied bar patrons were chasing around the long dark parking lot behind the bar in pursuit of the suspect, 31-year-old Justin Finniza, Los Angeles.
After he was thrown out of the Scarlet Lady for the second time, police believe that Mr. Finniza happened upon 40-year-old Andrew Wilson.
For no obvious reason, Mr. Finniza stopped running long enough to allegedly stab Mr. Wilson five times, puncturing his lung among other wounds.
Nobody knows why the assault happened.
Running Away Again
After pulling his knife out of the victim’s body for the final time, police say, Mr. Finniza started to flee again.
But he did not reckon with the frightful peril that lay immediately ahead for him.
In a state of likely shock, Mr. Wilson reportedly signaled nearby to his sister, Amber Ostoja , who, with horror, had witnessed the attack on her brother.
As Mr. Finniza, feeling a little desperate himself, was in the act of fleeing, police say that Ms. Ostoja, 31, got into her car and set out after the alleged attacker.
Car and Suspect Meet
She caught up with the suspect at the intersection of Berryman Avenue and Segrell Way in Sunkist Park.
The police report says, blandly, “Ostoja used her vehicle to stop him.”
They could have said she ran over him.
In the indelicate language of the police report, “Mr. Finniza came to rest underneath her car.”
Ms. Ostoja remained at the scene, and later she was booked on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon.
Mr. Wilson and Mr. Finniza both are described in critical condition. The suspect is suffering possible brain damage, contusions and lacerations.
How It Happened
Witnesses gave the following account of events:
At 10:30 on Monday night, Mr. Finniza was stirring the atmosphere inside of the Scarlet Lady, and he was asked to leave.
He returned later and asked to use the restroom. After he emerged, he managed to get into a new disagreement, pulled a knife, swung at his adversary, narrowly missing him.
By this time, Mr. Finniza had attracted widening attention.
Several Scarlet Lady customers put down their drinks and followed him out the door.
Mr. Finniza was walking west on Sawtelle when he encountered the unfortunate Mr. Wilson, whose presence may have been a matter of wrong place-wrong time.
They argued, police say, and then Mr. Finniza allegedly swung his knife at a new victim.
Minutes later, with all of the action seeming to have been committed in front of multiple witnesses, Mr. Finniza was lying under a car, mute, as was his reddened knife that a police officer silently bent over to retrieve.
