Man Convicted of Tire Slashing Back in Jail

The man convicted of slashing tires in north Sherman Oaks is back in jail after being arrested on suspicion of battery this week.

Colin Onu, 44, who was convicted in April of slashing tires and possessing a controlled substance, was sentenced to 180 days in Los Angeles County Jail, but he was released after serving 11 days.

"Don't get me started on that," said Tamar Galatzan, neighborhood prosecutor in the Los Angeles city attorney's  office, speaking of Onu's early release from jail.

"We convicted this guy of slashing people's tires in his apartment complex; we suspected him of being involved in the rash of tire slashings in Sherman Oaks, but we got him for the one where he lived and also on the drug charge," said Galatzan. "But they released him early."

Police in Sherman Oaks reported 15 instances of tire slashing in mid-March, but they had no leads until a resident of an apartment complex in the 4200 block of Murietta Avenue called officers to say that someone was slashing tires in the parking lot of that building.

When officers arrived at the scene they arrested Onu.

"Turned out he lived at the place where several people had their tires slashed,"  Galatzan said.

Onu was convicted of one count of misdemeanor vandalism, in addition to two counts of possession, which were also misdemeanors. A motive in the tire-slashing incidents was never established.

"Shortly after being released he moved back to the same place where they arrested him in Sherman Oaks, and then was arrested for battery, so now he's back in jail," Galatzan said.

A court hearing in the battery case is scheduled for May 25.

Police do not release the names of victims in battery cases.

While the rash of tire slashings was occurring, police were not sure if they were being committed by one person or more than one.

Since Onu's April arrest, police say there have been no tire slashings in the north Sherman Oaks area.

An earlier story on the tire slashings can be viewed at patch.com/A-gtgQ.