Man tries washing away blood to cover up beating of woman with metal pole, CA cops say
A man accused of beating a woman with a metal pole and trying to hide her serious head injury has been arrested, California deputies say.
Someone called 911 just before 3:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 26, to report seeing a man dragging a woman inside a Fontana home, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said in a news release.
When deputies arrived, they found an open door that led to the inside of the home and noted a “scuffle had taken place outside,” the sheriff’s department said.
After announcing their arrival and entering the home, deputies found a man and woman hiding under a blanket, the department said.
Deputies said the man, later identified as Michael Gordon, 40, was holding the woman against her will.
Gordon was hiding her “massive head injury” while also trying to “cover up a large amount of blood gushing from the back of her head,” deputies said.
Deputies took the woman from Gordon and gave her medical aid, the department said. Then, they put Gordon in handcuffs and placed him in the back seat of their patrol vehicle.
Paramedics took the woman to a nearby hospital, deputies said.
After speaking to a witness who saw the alleged assault outside the home, deputies learned Gordon hit the woman “in the back of the head with a metal pole,” causing her serious head injury, the sheriff’s department said.
Afterward, he took the woman to another area, where he assaulted her again, deputies said. Then, he dragged her inside the home, the department said.
Before deputies arrived, Gordon forced the woman “into the shower to wash away a large amount of blood” and also hid her blood-soaked clothing, according to the sheriff’s department.
Gordon was booked into jail on multiple counts, including domestic violence, assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated mayhem, kidnapping, false imprisonment and concealing evidence, deputies said.
The woman was still hospitalized as of March 27, according to deputies.
Gordon, who is being held on $1 million bail, is scheduled to appear in court March 28, jail records show.
Fontana is about a 50-mile drive east from Los Angeles.
This story was originally published March 28, 2025 at 9:53 AM with the headline "Man tries washing away blood to cover up beating of woman with metal pole, CA cops say."
