Elderly LA Couple's Attacker Back on Streets After Allegedly Causing Brain Death

Jose Juan Rangel Hernandez and Maria Guadalupe Vargas Luna were brutally attacked at a McDonald's drive-thru in March, leaving Vargas Luna brain dead and Hernandez devastated. Despite the severity of the assault, the alleged attacker was released without bail and now faces minimal charges. The family is demanding justice and seeking answers as to why the assailant remains free while Vargas Luna lies on life support.

In a tragic twist of events, the elderly couple brutally assaulted at a Los Angeles McDonald's in March continues to suffer as the alleged perpetrator remains at large without facing adequate consequences. Jose Juan Rangel Hernandez, 74, and Maria Guadalupe Vargas Luna, 58, were attacked by a homeless man who allegedly punched Hernandez in the face through his car window. Vargas Luna, who is partially blind, exited the vehicle to assist her husband when the assailant continued his assault on the ground. During the altercation, Vargas Luna fell and hit her head, sustaining severe injuries.

As Vargas Luna was transported to the hospital, she suffered a heart attack. Despite initial improvements, she subsequently experienced complications with a breathing and feeding tube, leading to another heart attack. Paramedics were unable to assist her promptly, resulting in prolonged oxygen deprivation and irreversible brain damage. Doctors have since recommended discontinuing life support, as Vargas Luna's brain activity has ceased.

Amidst this profound loss, Hernandez remains grief-stricken, unable to cope with the absence of his beloved wife, who was his constant companion for three decades. Their daughter, Veronica Rangel, expressed her father's anguish, stating, "He says he doesn't want to keep living without her because she was his world."

To add insult to injury, the accused assailant, who was initially arrested, has since been released without bail. Rangel revealed that the charges against him were initially limited to a misdemeanor assault against Hernandez, but due to media attention, prosecutors have added a felony assault charge against Vargas Luna. However, Rangel contends that these accusations fall short of the seriousness of the attack and its devastating consequences.

"Even though she's technically dead because of what this man did, [the prosecutor] still doesn't want to press any harsher punishment against him," Rangel lamented. "And he was released two days after he got arrested on OR."

Hernandez's grandson, William Cantabrana, echoed his family's demand for justice. "To me, justice looks like something that has to be done," he stated. "This was essentially just a slap on the wrist. This man just feels like I guess he could just do whatever he wants."

Cantabrana further expressed his dismay over the apparent reluctance of law enforcement to pursue the case more vigorously. "It was kind of like they were trying to be like, 'Hey, like, do you really want to? Because at this point, like why?' It's like they were trying to make it seem like… Don't go for it… Let it go. To me that's just not right."

As the family grapples with the immeasurable loss of Vargas Luna and the ongoing absence of justice, Rangel and Cantabrana remain determined to hold the assailant accountable for his actions. They are scheduled to attend a court hearing on the matter, where they hope to witness progress towards a fair and equitable resolution.