Witness stymies alleged attempted murder

A 23-year-old Los Angeles man who was reportedly caught waiting by his ex-boss’ car with two loaded pistols after putting sugar in the gas tank was charged on Wednesday with attempted murder, authorities said.

Investigators believe a vigilant witness helped thwart an attack by flagging down police after seeing the man, identified as Eric Bloss, tampering with the car outside the Glendale In-N-Out, where he used to work, said Glendale Police Det. Jeff Davis.

Investigators discovered that Bloss was waiting near the vehicle around 2 a.m. Monday with two loaded pistols concealed on him, along with ammunition and additional magazines, after putting sugar in his former manager’s gas tank to disable the car, Davis said.

Authorities also reportedly discovered a loaded shotgun in his car, which was parked nearby. Four guns, including the two on his person and the one in the car, were legally registered to Bloss and recovered by police, Davis said.

Bloss was terminated from his job at In-N-Out sometime in the past 12 months, but further details about his alleged motive were not immediately available.

“We believe that an attack was imminent. It was just interrupted,” Davis said.

Bloss was charged with one count each of attempted murder, carrying a loaded firearm on one’s person in a city, carrying a loaded firearm in a vehicle, vandalism, damaging or tampering with a vehicle and petty theft, according to the Los Angeles County Superior Court criminal complaint.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges on Wednesday and is being held in lieu of $250,000 bail. He is due back in court in June.

The manager was not injured.

“A heads-up by a citizen got the whole thing going,” Davis said. “I think it’s something that could’ve ended a lot more tragically.”