Man arrested on suspicion of killing his father near Mt. Baldy

Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies arrested a man on suspicion of killing his father Saturday near Mt. Baldy and Stoddard Canyon Falls in the San Gabriel Mountains, authorities said.

Deputies responded about 3:30 p.m. Saturday to a reported assault on Mount Baldy Road in the San Gabriel Mountains, according to a Sheriff’s Department news release. A popular hiking destination, the area has waterfalls and swimming holes that draw large crowds on weekends.

Upon arriving at the scene, deputies found a man suffering from trauma to his chest, sheriff’s officials said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

A few miles away, deputies came across a man who had crashed his car while driving away from the crime scene. After detaining him in connection with the homicide investigation, deputies learned he was the 19-year-old son of the victim, authorities said.

Based on “evidence at the scene� and statements made by the son and witnesses, detectives on Sunday arrested the man on suspicion of killing his father, officials said. They did not specify what evidence or statements led to the arrest.

Prosecutors from the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office will now decide whether to charge the suspect, who is being held at the San Dimas station jail, sheriff’s officials said.

Neither the suspect nor the victim has been publicly identified.

The sheriff’s department asked that anyone with information about the case contact homicide detectives at (323) 890-5500.