Man Accused Of Beating And Choking His 83-Year-Old Former Landlord Brazenly Sticks Out His Tongue In Mugshot

A California man accused of beating and choking his 83-year-old former landlord seemingly gave authorities a mouthful while sticking his tongue out in a brazen mugshot after his arrest.

A shaggy-haired Paul Stephen Otto, 27, can be seen in the photo crossing his eyes and sticking his tongue out to the side, but the charges against Otto are no laughing matter.

The 27-year-old is accused assaulting his 83-year-old former landlord, including choking him, after illegally entering the elderly man’s home to steal a car, and then leading police on a high-speed chase that ended in a collision, according to a release from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

The incident began Friday when deputies were called to a Norco home to investigate a possible assault. The elderly male at the scene told authorities he had been choked and beaten after Otto came into his home.

Otto then fled in an older silver Volvo sedan, authorities said.

Paul Stephen Otto Photo: Riverside County Sheriff’s Department

The victim was treated for his injuries at the scene, while authorities tried to track down Otto. After he was seen in front of the Norco sheriff's department station, deputies tried to detain him but Otto took off in the car “at a high rate of speed” and caused a collision at a nearby intersection.

The vehicle was deemed “inoperable” as a result of the crash and authorities were able to take Otto into custody without further incident. He was taken to a hospital for medical clearance before being booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center.

He’s being held on suspicion for multiple charges including attempted murder and cruelty to a dependent adult, according to jail records obtained by KTLA.

Otto is currently being held on a $300,000 bail, the sheriff’s office said.