Man Clad in Body Armor Smashes Car Through Gate of Pasadena Auto Body Shop

A man wearing full body armor and armed with a bow and arrow and a large ax smashed a car through the gate of a Pasadena auto body shop before being arrested early Sunday, police said.

Peter Julian Brody, 27, of Altadena was arrested in connection with the bizarre crime, which unfolded about 2:30 a.m. in the 500 block of North Lake Avenue, according to Pasadena police officials and Los Angeles County booking records.

He was at the wheel of a Jeep that plowed through the front gate of the auto body shop, causing an estimated $2,000 in damage, Pasadena police Lt. Anthony Burgess said.

Once inside the business’ parking lot, Brody got out of his car and hid, he said.

Responding police officers quickly found and detained Brody, who was found to be wearing full body armor, including a Kevlar helmet, the lieutenant said.

A compound bow, along with arrows, as well as a “large ax,” were also found in the parking lot near the spot where Brody was taken into custody, Burgess said.

Methamphetamine and a pipe were discovered inside the suspect’s car, he added.

A motive for the crime was not clear.

Brody made a series of erratic statements to police in which he denied crashing through the gate, claimed he was the owner of the business and claimed he was an undercover police officer.

He was booked on suspicion of vandalism.

Bail for Brody was set at $20,000 pending his initial court appearance, records show.