Man Accused of Terrorizing El Segundo Residents With Air Horn

"He's been doing this for weeks, and we've been chasing him for weeks — but we got him"

An air horn that sounds like a train has been terrorizing the residents of El Segundo for weeks, but police in the Southern California city have just arrested a man in connection with the noise — with air horn equipment inside his car, they say.

The bust came early Sunday at 4 a.m. — around the time many of the alarmingly loud incidents would occur.

"The sound is like a train coming through the neighborhood," said El Segundo Police Lt. Ray Garcia.

The noise has been plaguing residents on the west side of the city for weeks. Police have received numerous reports of an extremely loud air horn going off before residents spot a getaway car, a blue four-door sedan driven by a man.

Oftentimes, officers couldn't catch the air horn blower because the person would blare the horn and then "beat feet," police said. At times, officers on the east side of town could hear the noise and would hurry over, only to find that the perpetrator had taken off.

Sunday morning, officers once again heard the noise, then made a traffic stop at Grand Avenue and Main Street directly after. In a blue 2006 Chevrolet Aveo, they spotted air horn equipment inside the car, police said.

The commotion drew several residents from their homes, claiming they were victims of the air horn aggravator. They initiated a citizen's arrest, according to El Segundo police.

John W. Nuggent was then taken into custody by police, police said. He was booked at El Segundo jail on a misdemeanor charge of suspicion of disturbing the peace and his car, with horn inside, was impounded. 

Garcia said the air horn aggravator has been sounding his horn almost every single night.

"He's been doing this for weeks, and we've been chasing him for weeks — but we got him," Garcia said.

Garcia said they aren't exactly sure why the man allegedly has an "ax to grind," but believe that he thinks someone in the area has wronged him in some way, and this is his way of getting back at them.

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