Pursuit suspect escapes hospital, allegedly kills Vietnam War veteran
The family of a slain Vietnam War veteran is looking for answers after learning their loved one may still be alive if his accused killed had been watched more closely during a stay in the hospital.
"It makes me angry because I feel like the system failed us," said daughter Monica Rangel. "It failed my dad."
Twelve days before Michael Rangel was shot to death, his accused killer Gabriel Molina led police a pursuit that ended with a crash. He was arrested and taken to Riverside Community Hospital. Officers said Molina had an injury so severe that he had to stay at the medical center for several days. At the time, Molina was out on bail for a series of alleged armed robberies.
Within hours of arriving, Molina got out of his bed and snuck out of the hospital, according to the Riverside Police Department. He allegedly shot and killed Rangel while the veteran was watering his lawn nearly two weeks later.
"Someone has to be held accountable for it," daughter Cynthia Rangel said.
While authorities can decide to have an officer guard a suspect's bedside or transfer them to a secure medical ward for arrestees at a county hospital, in this case, they chose to keep Molina at a Riverside Community Hospital until he was cleared for jail.
They say this decision was made because they believed Molina's injuries were so bad that he couldn't run away and that he was accused of armed robbery.
Rangel's daughters questioned the decision, asking how bad someone's alleged crimes need to be to warrant more supervision.
"They're not just like a few tickets; it's robberies, a rape case, evading police," Cynthia said.
Michael Rangel and his wife would have celebrated their 47th wedding anniversary this August. He was the father of four and had nine grandchildren. Investigators said he did nothing to prompt the shooting.
Molina will return to court at the end of the month.
