A robbery suspect is nursing his wounds behind bars today after briefly eluding capture Wednesday afternoon.

Shortly before 2 p.m., deputies responded to a call at the Mobil gas station in the 26900 block of Seco Canyon Road in Saugus only to find that it wasn’t the gas station being robbed, but a patron of the on-site store.

The victim a 64-year-old Saugus man, had pumped gas into his car and was in the store to purchase a couple of extra items while paying for his gas.

Don’t miss a thing. Get breaking news alerts delivered right to your inbox

Three Hispanic men approached him and starting talking with him, touching items on his belt. He walked away from the men, then suddenly they began yelling and demanding that he hand over the items on his belt.

The victim was assaulted by the men, who punched and choked him while witnesses in the store tried to intervene, calling 911 for help. During the assault, the victim was able to take his pocket knife and stabbed one of the suspects several times in the leg. Witnesses were able to get the victim to safety and the three suspects fled the scene.

Deputies contained the surrounding area and conducted a search for the suspects, but witnesses reported seeing the described suspects get into a white car and drive away.  The victim was treated at the scene by Los Angeles County Fire Paramedics. 
At 3:30 p.m., deputies were advised that a man was being treated for stab wounds to the legs at a San Fernando Valley Hospital.  Deputies responded to the hospital emergency room and arrested Saugus resident Gerardo Guzman, 38, on suspicion of attempted robbery and felony assault.  He was also found to have several outstanding warrants and is currently being held in the Los Angeles Country Jail in lieu of $215,000 bail. 
The two other suspects are still outstanding; one appeared to be between the ages of 18 and 22 and the other between 20 and 25.

Anyone with information regarding this crime is asked to call Detective Finn at the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, 661-255-1121.