Hermosa Beach Police Nov. 5 arrested a 43-year-old parolee for a racially motivated assault against a grocery store picketer who is African American.

According to Sgt. Steve Endom, officers arrested Steven Goodman, and he remains in custody on a hate crime charge and a parole violation. His bail was set at $80,000.

Goodman struck the 45-year-old victim in the head and the upper body as he picketed outside Albertson’s Market in Hermosa Beach. After assaulting the man, he demanded that he get out of his way while repeatedly calling him racial slurs. He then fled to a nearby hotel.

“The victim was banged up but he declined medical treatment,” said Endom. “He said he assaulted the man because he doesn’t like minorities and considers himself a white supremacist.”

The victim eventually flagged down Officer Mick Gaglia who tracked Goodman at the hotel and arrested him there. At the time of the arrest, Goodman was out on parole for burglary.

Sex with a minor arrest

Hermosa Beach Police Nov. 5 arrested a 27-year-old San Gabriel man for unlawful sexual intercourse with a 16-year-old girl.

Since the crime occurred in a Hermosa Beach hotel, local police took the report from the girl who lives outside the city with her legal guardian, who is her aunt.

According to Det. Brian Smyth, police arrested Joseph Kamel after the girl contacted officers Oct. 22 and told them about her experience with him. The girl attends high school and reported that she met Kamel in an Internet chat room.

He later picked the girl up from school in his car and took her to a nearby hotel where they had sexual intercourse. According to the girl, they never spoke again after this encounter and she became pregnant.

“We arrested him at his place of business in Pasadena,” said Smyth. “The victim knew his name and had his cell phone number.”

The victim, who is now eight months pregnant, hid her physical state as long as possible before school administrators noticed and called her aunt who then contacted police.

Detectives coordinated an investigation, and the District Attorney’s Office filed felony charges Nov. 4 and issued an arrest warrant.

Kamel appeared for his arraignment and is now out on bail. He is scheduled to appear in court again Nov. 27.