Ax-wielding man surrenders after standoff at Carson carwash

A disgruntled former employee of a Carson carwash brought an ax to the business on Tuesday, prompting an hours-long standoff with sheriff’s deputies.

The man, Nicholas Sadaka, eventually surrendered about 6:30 p.m. and was taken into custody, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

The standoff began about 12:30 p.m., when Sadaka, 51, threatened employees at the carwash with the ax, according to sheriff’s Deputy Crystal Hernandez.

He then barricaded himself in a “loft area” on the second floor of the carwash, located in the 16100 block of South Avalon Boulevard. Authorities shut down Avalon Boulevard between Redondo Beach and Gardena boulevards, snarling traffic in the area.

Sheriff’s Sgt. Vincent Plair told KTLA-TV Channel 5 that Sadaka had been fired from the carwash about two weeks ago but had refused to leave.

He has slept at the carwash, and his tense relationship with his former employer climaxed Tuesday, when he had an argument with the carwash’s owner, Plair told the TV station.

Crisis negotiators and sheriff’s deputies converged at the carwash to coax Sadaka into surrendering.

No injuries were reported.

Sadaka was booked on a count of assault with a deadly weapon and was held in lieu of $50,000 bail, sheriff’s officials said.

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Twitter: @MattHjourno.

UPDATES:

9:25 p.m.: This article was updated throughout with the man surrendering to authorities.

This article was originally published at 6:15 p.m.