Charges filed in stabbing of teen in Huntington Beach

Charges have been filed against three people, including one police officer, who authorities say stabbed a teenage pedestrian in downtown Huntington Beach in February, the Orange County district attorney’s office has announced. The boy survived.

Arthur Edward Roman, 28, a police officer from Tinley Park, Ill.; his brother Martin Mario Roman, 26, of Lake Forest, Calif.; and Martin Mario Roman’s wife, Jessica Monique Roman, 28, also of Lake Forest, were charged Wednesday with one felony count of assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury and one misdemeanor count of battery, the district attorney said in a news release Wednesday.

The three suspects pleaded not guilty Wednesday and are due back in court June 24 for a pretrial hearing, said Roxi Fyad, district attorney spokesperson.

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Martin Mario Roman, who is out on $25,000 bail with his wife, was also charged with a sentencing enhancement for the personal use of a deadly weapon. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of five years in state prison.

Arthur Roman, who is out of custody on $100,000 bail, and Jessica Roman each face a maximum sentence of four years in state prison if convicted.

Police said on Feb. 28 that the two men and woman were in a car at the 24 Hour Fitness, at 303 Third St., when they got into an argument with two people walking down the street.

The district attorney said Arthur Roman began yelling at the two, a 17-year-old boy and his 31-year-old friend.

Police said they believe that Jessica Roman pushed the teenager to the ground and kicked him in the head and that Martin Roman stabbed the teenager when the disagreement escalated.

Police responded to the scene just after 4 p.m. The vehicle’s occupants fled but were quickly located by officers in a nearby alleyway and detained, police said.

Times Community News reporter Hannah Fry contributed to this report.

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Brittany Woolsey, brittany.woolsey@latimes.com

Twitter: @BrittanyWoolsey

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