Crime & Safety

Parolee Allegedly Attacks Market Clerk With Hatchet

Harold Andrew Hill was allegedly armed with the hatchet and a gun, and used the hatchet twice on a clerk inside the Jamacha Produce Market, 10761 Jamacha Blvd. on Saturday.

A 24-year-old parolee allegedly attacked a Spring Valley produce market clerk with a hatchet and took money from the register, but a witness drove into the fleeing bandit, and he was bitten by a sheriff's dog during his eventual arrest.

Harold Andrew Hill was allegedly armed with the hatchet and a gun, and used the hatchet twice on a clerk inside the Jamacha Produce Market, 10761 Jamacha Blvd. shortly before 3:30 p.m. Saturday, sheriff's Sgt. Daniel Vengler said.

As the robbery unfolded, a 12-year-old girl and the store's other patrons hid as Hill confronted the 34-year-old clerk. Hill ran behind the counter to take cash from the register, Vengler said.

Find out what's happening in La Mesa-Mount Helixwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The employee resisted, prompting Hill to hit him in the head with the axe at least twice. The clerk was seriously injured.

Hill ran out the front of the market with an undisclosed amount of money and tried to escape on a bicycle, according to the sergeant. But a man who saw the attack from the parking lot crashed his vehicle into the fleeing suspect, who still had the gun at that point.

Find out what's happening in La Mesa-Mount Helixwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Hill dropped the gun and the money as he was knocked to the ground, but got up and ran into a nearby mobile home park where he tried to hide under a trailer, Vengler said.

As sheriff's deputies closed in, Hill allegedly reached for his waistband and a sheriff's dog was sent to flush him out, according to the sergeant. Hill was captured in about 10 minutes.

The clerk was taken to a hospital to be treated for his injuries, which Vengler said were serious. Hill was treated for dog bites and was later booked into San Diego Central Jail for suspicion of attempted murder, armed robbery and violating parole, according to Vengler and jail records.

—City News Service


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.