Customer at LA donut shop charged with murder

Simi Valley Man Faces Attempted Murder Charges After Donut Shop Incident

A man from Simi Valley is facing serious charges after allegedly crashing his SUV into a donut shop in a fit of rage. Authorities announced this development on Wednesday, revealing that the man pointed his vehicle at police during the chaotic sequence of events.

Frank Leslie Blessing, 58, has been charged with attempted murder of a peace officer, assault on a peace officer, and three counts of criminal damage to property, along with two counts of assault against a peace officer or nurse, according to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office.

This incident took place early in the morning on May 27 at Donuts Plus on Ellinger Road in Simi Valley.

According to investigators, Blessing arrived at the donut shop around 3:30 a.m. and became extremely upset upon discovering that the shop was closing.

Surveillance videos show a gray Chevrolet Tahoe entering the parking lot, with Blessing getting out and attempting to open the door several times. Frustrated, he returned to his SUV, throwing his arms up in exasperation.

Moments later, the Tahoe crashed into the store multiple times, shattering the front window and driving completely through the shop. Footage indicates that he became somewhat trapped inside the vehicle before reversing. Afterward, he executed a chaotic reverse donut in the parking lot, partially driving onto the sidewalk before speeding away.

Police soon found the damaged Tahoe and initiated a traffic stop. Allegedly, Blessing backed into a patrol car twice and accelerated toward an officer, who had to leap out of the way to avoid being hit. The pursuit concluded when the SUV crashed into a wall near a nearby home and became incapacitated.

Authorities report that Blessing was unresponsive and armed with a fixed-blade knife at the time of his arrest. Prosecutors state he threw the knife at an officer but missed. Officers deployed Tasers during the struggle and finally subdued Blessing after a prolonged confrontation.

Afterward, even while at the hospital, he allegedly resisted arrest, kicking both an officer and a nurse. Investigators later concluded that Blessing intentionally rammed into the donut shop out of anger over its closing.

Fortunately, only one police officer suffered minor injuries, and no members of the public were harmed.

Blessing attended court on Monday, but his arraignment was postponed. Ventura County Superior Court Judge Paul Feldman ordered him held without bail, citing concerns about a potential threat to public safety.

District Attorney Eric Nasarenko emphasized the severity of the situation, stating that “the allegations describe a series of deliberate and escalating acts of violence.” He characterized the attempt to use a vehicle to harm a police officer as particularly heinous.

Alongside the felony charges, prosecutors filed a special complaint asserting that the attempted murder victim was a peace officer, that a deadly weapon was used, and that the incident involved significant violence.