Group attack leaves family with injuries, moving plans

Victims say they will leave as a result of criminal incident

By Sam Scott

A group of men reportedly attacked a Sunnyvale woman, her husband and her brother in the side yard of their home in the 100 block of Bradford Drive, on May 19, leaving the woman with extensive dental damage. Sunnyvale Police said they have no suspects or motives for the assault.

The residents of the property said they are moving as a result of the violence.

Teresa Wiles, the first person attacked, said she awoke about 2 a.m. on Saturday morning to the sound of her sprinklers going on. She said she went to turn them off when she heard yelling from her front yard. From the side yard, she said she could see two men on her property. One was allegedly kicking a sprinkler head, the other a water pipe.

She said she was trying to get their license plate number to give police when she was seen by two other men who pointed her out.

According to Wiles, her presence incited an attack.

"A big guy came over the fence and just whacked me good a few times," Wiles said. "He's pounding me, then two more guys jumped over the fence. At that point I was just protecting myself."

Her brother, Marcelino Guevara, who was spending the night, and her husband, Edward, came to her aid, Wiles said.

"They got three of them off me temporarily," she said. "Before we knew it there were six guys in yard beating up my husband and brother."

Robert Whincup Jr, who lives across the street from the Wiles, said he came to his front yard to see what the commotion was. He called 911, thinking it was a street fight, which he said are common in the area. The fight lasted five to ten minutes, he said. Whincup said when he tried to go over to that side of the street, he was stopped by two men.

Wiles said the men left in two or more cars after she entered her home to call the police. She described one of the vehicles as a black Honda which had parked in front of her house during the evening. She had seen the occupants of that vehicle park and enter the Brass Rail, a gentlemen's club across the street. The Brass Rail has "grandfather" exemption from current zoning requirements, allowing it to be in a residential neighborhood.

Teresa Wiles said for the sake of her young children, the family would move from the neighborhood. "[We] wouldn't allow someone to make us move out of our house." she said. "But it not worth any price [to jeopardize our kids.]"

Wiles said she will need three root canals and multiple crowns as a result of the attack.

"She was pretty bad," said Carole Bonsall, the office manager at Dr. Cesar Escudero's dental office. "She was close to needing her jaw wired shut." Bonsall also said Wiles' bite had been altered and may require additional work.

Wiles said her brother suffered a concussion and missed work as a result.

Sunnyvale police said they have no idea what could have provoked the attack. Sunnyvale Public Safety Chief Eaneff said the Orchard Gardens neighborhood traditionally is quiet.

"We're still investigating," Eaneff said.

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