Judge denies release for attack suspect

By Matt Pordum

Monday, Sept. 27, 2004 | 10:51 a.m.

A judge this morning refused to release from jail an 18-year-old man accused of beating a group of women with a baseball bat at a park two weeks ago.

The custody status of Elvin Avila will be examined again on Thursday, and his preliminary hearing is now scheduled for Oct. 11.

Avila is being charged with four counts of battery with a deadly weapon, two counts of battery with substantial bodily harm and two counts of attempted robbery for the Sept. 16 attack in Shadow Rock Park on Los Feliz Street and Carey Avenue near Sunrise Mountain.

Avila's attorney, Michael Sanft, this morning asked Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Douglas Smith to release his client, but Smith said due to the serious nature of the crimes alleged he would require Sanft to issue a written motion requesting a change in custody status for Avila.

Avila was arrested Sept. 23 and allegedly gave full confession to Metro police officers. Authorities said Avila told them he was sorry for the attack and that he was drunk and angry that the group of girls had videotaped him and his friends.

Avila gave police the names of the three other people who were with him that night and police may make additional arrests, according to authorities.

Kristen Berwald suffered a fractured skull and may have permanent hearing loss in her left ear from the beating. Deanna Saavedra, 21, the woman who captured part of the attack with her video camera, needed three stitches to close a wound under her eye, and she was left with a broken rib, a gash on her head and cuts and bruises all over her body.

Berwald and Saavedra, the most seriously injured, were taken to University Medical Center by ambulance. The other women did not require medical attention.

Avila's arrest was aided by Saavedra's videotape, which showed a man police allege is Avila swinging a bat at the camera.

An anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers led to Avila's arrest.