Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Deputies found a man beaten and bloodied in Aptos Friday night after responding to a report of someone screaming and possibly in a fight. The 27-year-old victim was found on the 800 block of Encino Drive around midnight with lacerations to his head, face, arms, legs, and stomach, and was taken to a local hospital. The victim was reportedly attacked and beaten with baseball bats by 39-year-old James Welch, and 48-year-old Benjamin Espinoza, after he approached the two men on his skateboard to help them when they ran out of gas. The victim is expected to recover, and due to the severity of the beating, the case is being treated as a felony assault. Anyone who may know the whereabouts of Welch or Espinoza is asked to contact the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s office.
