Henry Hubbard | Hubbard Had Followed Straight and Narrow Pat… life that was a model for a law-abiding citizen. - Times 2/16/12 5:15 PM

Subscribe/Manage Account Place An Ad LAT Store Jobs Cars Real Estate Rentals More Classifieds Custom Publishing

LOCAL U.S. WORLD BUSINESS SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT HEALTH LIVING TRAVEL OPINION Search GO

L.A. NOW POLITICS CRIME EDUCATION O.C. WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOODS ENVIRONMENT OBITUARIES

YOU ARE HERE: LAT Home ! Collections

Hubbard Had Followed Straight and Recommend FROM THE ARCHIVES Narrow Path : Crime: San Diego Police 0 Hubbard Described as Paranoid, Angry at His Father 0 StumbleUpon officer accused in attacks at beach had Submit August 11, 1992 seemingly lived a life that was a model for S.D. Officer Is Given 56 Years in Beach Attacks : Crime: a law-abiding citizen. Henry Hubbard Jr. asks for forgiveness, says he is just beginning to understand his illness. August 22, 1991 | MARK PLATTE | TIMES STAFF WRITER August 11, 1992 Morning after morning, Henry Hubbard Jr. sat among dozens of San Diego police officers at regular Hubbard Faces 30 New Counts in Beach Crimes briefings, taking in details of police beach stakeouts in areas where several young men had been robbed November 2, 1991 and young women raped. Parents Tell of Hubbard's Upbringing : Crime: Father of At one briefing in July, shortly after two teen-age girls were raped, detectives described the suspect as policeman accused of attempted murder and attempted tall, thin and black. According to one officer who was there, a sergeant turned to Hubbard and smiled. robbery, and the prime suspect in six other attacks that "Sounds like you, Henry," he quipped, repeating a bit of gallows humor often used by officers to ease include rape and robbery, says, 'These false accusations tension in a profession saturated with bad news. will be proven false.' September 7, 1991 But to the surprise of his colleagues, usually even-tempered and soft-spoken Hubbard glowered, his body tensed and he clenched his fists, the officer said. He walked away quickly without a word.

Ever since Hubbard was arrested a week ago, hours after two men were shot in the chest during a robbery attempt on a La Jolla beach, fellow officers in the Northern Division have tried without success to draw a parallel between Hubbard, a loyal and likable officer, and the horrible early-morning crimes of which he is accused.

Sure, they say, Hubbard seemed to linger at his work locker a little too long, often waiting behind an hour after his 1 a.m. shift when others were eager to head home or meet for "choir practice," otherwise known as a beer with the boys.

But he was respected and on the rise at the department, and, because of his amiability, colleagues are struggling to accept the news. Some are being more aggressive and hostile at work. Some, according to police administrators, are finding it hard to function at all. Others wish they had never heard of Henry Hubbard Jr.

Overall, most officers are trying hard not to believe that Hubbard, idolized for his prowess at professional baseball, could have been involved in any trouble beyond showing up late for work, administrators say.

The prime suspect in a series of seven attacks on young couples beginning in mid-June, Hubbard, 29, has been charged with two counts of attempted murder and three counts of attempted robbery in last Thursday's incident. He is to be arraigned today and is expected to plead not guilty.

Hubbard is from Lancaster, S.C., a town of 55,000 where news travels so slowly that the local Lancaster News printed the first story of Hubbard's arrest Wednesday, six days after it occurred. For those who already have learned of Hubbard's predicament, the reaction is the same. Not only do people not believe it, they refuse to accept it.

"He's not the guy," said Fred Thomas, a publicist who grew up with Hubbard and now lives in Chicago.

http://articles.latimes.com/1991-08-22/local/me-1128_1_san-diego-police-officers Page 1 of 2 Henry Hubbard San Diego | Hubbard Had Followed Straight and Narrow Pat… life that was a model for a law-abiding citizen. - 2/16/12 5:15 PM

"Henry didn't even get into trouble like the rest of us hell-raisers did. You couldn't even get him to speed in his car. When we'd all go out drinking, he was saying, 'No, thanks. I'll be out on the baseball field tomorrow.' And he would be out there, hitting his home runs and running like a gazelle."

Police and prosecutors say differently, pointing out that a flashlight with Hubbard's name was found on the beach at the scene of the attack. That 21-year-old Charisma Carpenter, a woman whom detectives say was the suspect's intended rape victim, lives and works in the same apartment complex and accepts rent checks from all the tenants.

That all of the attacks occurred shortly after 1 a.m., when Hubbard got off work. That Hubbard patrolled the beach areas and knew the territory intimately. That a sheriff's detective suspected their man might be a cop because of the way he held his gun and flashlight. That he deftly avoided every stakeout.

According to a police description of last Thursday's events, the gunman sat in a lifeguard tower, a ski mask covering his face and a handgun at his side. Carpenter and two friends were swimming. When she emerged from the foam, Carpenter walked to the tower and screamed, and the two men rushed to her aid. The attacker ordered Aldo Ochoa, 21, to bind the hands of Arthur Gracia, 23.

After Gracia tied Ochoa's hands, the gunman demanded that Carpenter bind Gracia, but she refused and ran away. Gracia and Ochoa rushed their attacker and six gunshots were fired. One hit Ochoa in the chest. The other struck Gracia. Gracia has been released from the hospital. Ochoa is in fair condition at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla.

A third bullet accidentally hit the attacker, who ran off.

Several hours after the attack, Hubbard was at the hospital, where he had been taken by his wife with a bullet wound in the hand. The hospital, following routine, notified police that they were treating the victim of a gunshot wound.

Hubbard explained his wound to his wife and investigators by saying his car had broken down and he had been beaten and shot by three men.

That explanation is what Hubbard's family and friends have clung to in the past week. They will not accept Hubbard portrayed in any other light.

1 | 2 | 3 | Next

Email Print Digg Facebook StumbleUpon Share

FEATURED

Taking the bang out of Making home living easier Glen Campbell and pressure cooking Alzheimer's disease

MORE: Russians are leaving the country in droves

2012 Honda CR-V sports all-new looks inside and out

Copyright 2012 Los Angeles Times Index by Keyword | Index by Date | Privacy Policy | Terms of Service

http://articles.latimes.com/1991-08-22/local/me-1128_1_san-diego-police-officers Page 2 of 2