A Woodland Hills man who terrorized street vendors using violence, racist language and an ax must pay two victims a total of more than $2.8 million.
On Wednesday, a jury found Daniel McGuire guilty of assault, inflicting emotional distress and battery, among other crimes, against vendors Jonathan Alvarez and Tomas Leocadio, both of whom relied on their fruit stands as their sole source of income.
McGuire’s “reign of terror” took place between February and August 2022, attorney Christian Contreras wrote in court documents. During that time, McGuire repeatedly harassed vendors working at the intersection of Canoga Avenue and Dumetz Road in Woodland Hills, the complaint states.
In March of that year, McGuire published and distributed a racist manifesto in the neighborhood, calling fruit vendors “under-American illegal immigrants,” “hardened criminals” and “cockroaches that need to be ground into dust,” according to the complaint.
That same month, McGuire “terrorized” Leocadio using racist and vulgar language, forcing the vendor to remove his stand from the intersection, the complaint states.
In August, McGuire was caught on camera destroying Alvarez’s fruit stand with an axe.
In May 2022, local residents held a small rally in support of street vendors. Video captured at the event appears to show McGuire yelling at protesters and spraying them with a garden hose.
In a statement provided to Fox 11 on Wednesday, attorneys for the plaintiffs praised the jury’s decision for sending a message that Los Angeles will not tolerate hatred and violence against street vendors.
“This is a historic verdict against a street vendor that reflects the communities’ support for street vendors and the rejection of racism, intolerance and hatred against street vendors,” the statement said.
The civil jury trial, held at the East Van Nuys courthouse, found McGuire guilty of assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress and neglect. He was also found guilty of violating the Ralph and Bane Acts, two California civil rights laws that protect against hate, violence and intimidation.
Alvarez is entitled to about $1.57 million in damages and Leocadio is entitled to about $1.27 million, the jury decided.
