Police arrest Costa Mesa man charged with attempted murder

Police arrested a Costa Mesa man Thursday afternoon suspected of using a machete against another man at a local gas station.

About 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Rogelio Nava-Rivera, 39, got into an altercation with another Costa Mesa man at the Chevron station at Fairview Road and Baker Street, said Sgt. Ed Everett.

Juan Manuel Franco, 40, believed Nava-Rivera was dating his ex-wife. The two incidentally saw each other driving near the Chevron, and after pulling into the station’s lot, Nava-Rivera wielded a machete and struck both Franco and his car with it, police said.

Franco sustained a broken arm and several deep lacerations before being treated at Western Medical Center in Santa Ana.

About 11 a.m. Costa Mesa detectives arrested Nava-Rivera, during which time they found a two-foot machete inside his vehicle. He has been charged with felony attempted homicide with a bail set for $500,000, Everett said.

Police said Wednesday’s incident was not the first physical altercation between the two men.

—Lauren Williams and Bradley Zint

Twitter: @lawilliams30