Homeless Man Who Tried To Drown 72-Year-Old Faces Attempted Murder Charge: DA

SANTA MONICA, CA — A homeless man accused of trying to drown a 72-year-old woman at the beach and attacking teenage girl and another other woman pleaded not guilty Tuesday to attempted murder and several other counts.

Jawann Garnett, 31, faces two counts of attempted murder, one count of child abuse under circumstances or conditions likely to cause great bodily injury or death, one count of assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury, one count of assault with intent to commit a forcible sexual assault and one count of kidnapping.

Garnett has remained behind bars since his June 24 arrest, according to jail records. He's being held on $2.3 million bail and is due back in court July 29, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.

Garnett is accused of attacking a 17-year-old girl on Santa Monica Beach and then attacking a 25-year-old woman who tried to intervene, according to prosecutors.

Garnett is accused of then grabbing a 72-year-old woman and dragging her to the ocean, where he pushed her head into the water several times, according to prosecutors.

The criminal complaint alleges that Garnett has a 2022 conviction for assault and was on probation at the time of the crimes.

City News Service contributed to this report.