Elderly man on life support after assault, allegedly by neighbor, while visiting family

A 71-year-old man is on life support after being assaulted with a baseball bat while visiting family at a south Modesto trailer park.

The assault happened around 3:40 p.m. Sunday at the California Trailer Court on South Seventh street, said Stanislaus County sheriff’s Sgt. Luke Schwartz.

The victim previously lived at the trailer park and was there visiting family when he became involved in a dispute with a neighbor.

Schwartz said “there may have been a history” between the victim and the suspect and they “briefly exchanged words with one another prior to the assault.” The suspect used a baseball bat to repeatedly hit the victim in the back of the head and neck, he said.

First responders started CPR on the victim at the scene before he was taken to a Modesto hospital with life-threatening injuries.

The suspect, 28-year-old Marcos Canal, returned to his trailer but came out and surrendered after deputies arrived. His trailer was searched and “multiple possible weapons” were seized, Schwartz said.

Canal was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder with enhancements for using a deadly weapon and causing great bodily injury. He is being held without bail.

Anyone with information about the assault is asked to call 209-226-8467.