Friday, May 27, 2011

** California man arrested for beating paramedic is known gang member, police say

** Iowa combat medic survives Afghan bomb blast;recovering in military hospital in Germany

UNITED STATES NEWS

** The suspect arrested late last week in the beating of a California paramedic is a gang member with several previous convictions. That is the word from CNN (May 23) which said Giovanni Ramirez, 31, is a member of the Varrio Nuevo Estrada street gang. According to the news service, Ramirez’ record includes a 1998 conviction for attempted robbery, one in 1999 for robbery, and one in 2005 for firing a weapon in public. Along with Ramirez, several other people have been taken into custody by police in connection with the attack on Bryan Stow. Stow remains in hospital in San Francisco. His doctor told the news service he is able to move his arms and legs a little and has shown some cognitive function. Stow, who works for AMR in Santa Clara, is the father of two.

** A Cedar Rapids, Iowa combat medic continues to recover in hospital after surviving a bomb blast in Afghanistan. The Associated Press (May 23) said Spc. Jacob Hutchinson, 21, suffered two broken legs and a broken arm in the attack. According to the newspaper, the blast exploded near Hutchinson’s vehicle last Wednesday. Three other soldiers were also injured. Hutchinson’s mother Sela Gonlubol said her son is currently in a US military hospital in Germany and has had several operations to deal with his wounds.