Troy Scholder in court for his status hearing, April 29
By Paul Krueger
Eight Hells Angels accused of various roles in a racist attack on three African-American men last year in Ocean Beach have pleaded guilty and now face punishments ranging from 60 days in local custody to nine years in state prison.
The three victims of that brutal June 6, 2023 attack were enjoying a night out on Newport Avenue. Prosecutors say one of the men apparently spoke to a biker’s girlfriend, which might have prompted the attack. The suspects allegedly called the victims a racial epithet and told them “they didn’t belong in the neighborhood.”
According to prosecutors, one of the victims ran and escaped injury.
But members of the biker gang cornered the second victim and punched and kicked him repeatedly. One of the gang members then sucker-punched that second, knocking him out. District Attorney Summer Stephan said the third victim was also beaten and then viciously stabbed in the chest by long-time Hells Angel Troy Scholder.
The second and third victims survived those attacks.
Last September, a county grand jury indicted 14 Hells Angels for assault likely to cause great bodily injury with an additional gang enhancement charge.
Eleven of those 14 defendants were also charged with a hate crime, and three defendants were accused of helping the stabber, Troy Scholder, evade arrest by assisting him when he fled the crime scene and sought refuge at the Hells Angels’ Clubhouse in El Cajon.
In the eight months since those indictments, eight defendants have pleaded guilty to felony assault and other serious crimes.
William McDonnal received the harshest sentence to date: nine years in state prison, following his admission of guilt on two counts of assault likely to cause great bodily injury with gang and hate crime enhancements.
left to right: defendants Haley Castellano, Danny Pinto, and Billy Castellanos (in red shirt) at their April 29 status hearing.
McDonnal has been held without bail since his arrest. He appeared in court May 9, where he observed the sentencing hearing from a secure room with a glass window and a microphone and speaker which he used to follow the proceedings. When Judge Polly Shamoon asked McDonnal if he had any comment about the circumstances of his crime or his punishment, McDonnal sternly replied, “Absolutely not.” An equally stern Judge Shamoon told McDonnal, “I think that (response) says more about your character than anything else.”
Outside court, Deputy District Attorney Miriam Hemming explained that the range of punishments imposed on the defendants reflected the extent of their participation in the attack and their criminal history. Hemming noted that McDonnal “sucker punched one of the victims and knocked him unconscious.” McDonnal also has a significant criminal history.
The nine defendants who have not yet pleaded guilty face trial later this year. Five of those defendants are accused of participating in the beating of one of the victims. Their trial is scheduled for August 27.
The remaining four defendants include the alleged gang leader, Troy Scholder. Prosecutors allege that after he stabbed his victim with enough force to crack the victim’s sternum, Scholder “casually folded up his knife and walked away.”
Scholder is also being held in county jail without bail. At his April 29 status hearing Scholder unsuccessfully attempted to prevent a reporter from taking his photo by trying to hide his face behind a microphone.
Three other defendants, Billy Castellano, Haley Castellano, and Danny Pinto, are free on bail and also appeared in person for that status hearing.
They are accused of helping Scholder flee the Newport Avenue crime scene. Trial for those four defendants is scheduled for October 28, which will be almost 17 months after that brutal, racist attack.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow. Hate sure brings on a lot of personal insecurities. I hope they have time in prison to figure out why they were so insecure with themselves, they felt the need to feel more secure by stabbing and beating three Black men who were in OB. Did that make them feel more secure they could easily outnumber and hurt 3 black men. Did that make them feel like they were superman or Bubba bad A$$? Small minded people including men do have their personal issues. I hope they get the max time.
HA’s have been notorious in OB since my family moved there in 79′. African American family dad fought in Korean War, mom was a Principal San Diego Unified both my brother and I involved in sports academics OB Elementary, Collier, and PLHS. We lived in the War Zone its a black eye for OB people can live positive without a group of poor white trash causing problems. We all know these things escalate, to bad for them once they get locked up and they are the minority. This stuff ruins Street Fair, Fourth of July etc but you see the Police presence in OB to protect everybody. Peace Out
Kind of curious that the OB community doesn’t push back more against this obvious racist institution that is a menacing presence for their black friends and neighbors.
I’m curious as to what you think “push back” would look like. Not renting to them? Not legal under fair housing laws as you would be discriminating on the basis of membership in an affinity group. Giving them the stink eye every time you see one? Good luck with that.
As long as they are obeying the law, there’s not much one can do. If the law is violated, as in the story above, well that’s a different story.
There are a lot of racists that aren’t members of a biker gang. What “push back” are you giving them?
Thus white people not caring humans are being attacked. I’m a tax payer they will be living off my black earned tax money. Sleeping, eating, on my hard earned tax money. They will become girlfriends in prison, they will get extorted in prison, it’s not a Disney Land ride, prune party, HA style. Gang enhancement they will be subject to all the rules. The get away drives should get 20 years max for there involvement at least, gang enhancement. LoL
This was not racially motivated. That was added on there for press for the DA. This would have gone down exactly the same way if those men were white. The guys were at a bar with HAs and started talking to the girls that were with them / I’m not condoning what happened, but the outcome for those three guys was a result of THAT not because of the color of their skin. If they had been white, it would not have been “sure man cool, you can chat with my girlfriend”. I wish the news would stick to the news. The real story is relevant enough.