ESCONDIDO -- Five youths were arrested Saturday night on suspicion of attempted murder after a reportedly gang-related assault, police said.

A police officer driving near Escondido Boulevard and 11th Avenue just before 10:30 p.m. saw a group of people standing over a man who was lying in the intersection and appeared to be injured, Lt. David Mankin said.

When the group saw the police vehicle, they ran to a vehicle that had been waiting on 11th Avenue and fled, Mankin said.

The officer then chased the fleeing vehicle, which stopped near Orange Street and Ninth Avenue. Although one of the passengers took off on foot, all of the occupants were eventually detained, Mankin said.

Investigation indicates that the suspects and the victim, a 19-year-old Latino man who lives in Escondido, had been yelling at one other before the assault took place. The victim suffered a skull fracture and was taken to a hospital by witnesses. His name is not being released pending the ongoing investigation, Mankin said.

The suspects were all taken into custody for attempted homicide with gang enhancement charges, Mankin said. They were identified as driver Rosa Maria Carrillo, 20, and passengers Hector Velasquez, 19, and Richard Charles Boyett, 18, all of Escondido; Ruben Rodriguez, 19, of San Marcos; and a 16-year-old from Valley Center.

The Gang Investigative Unit is conducting the investigation and anyone with information is asked to contact Sgt. Michael Kearney at (760) 839-4972. Anonymous information may be given to the police tip line at (760) 839-4973.