Local San Rafael resident David Jonathan Margoliash, 48, has been detained following a series of alarming incidents last weekend, including a violent residential burglary and an attempted kidnapping at a nursing facility. The suspect is currently being held at the Marin County Jail without bail. According to a press release by the San Rafael Police Department, Margoliash was booked on multiple felony charges after a harrowing encounter with a couple in the unit block of Ross Street and a separate incident at a care facility on Fifth Avenue.
The ordeal began last Saturday when a 911 call reported an invasion at home by an individual who entered through the back door and assaulted the occupants, a man and his pregnant wife. The assailant, identified as Margoliash, struck the woman with a flashlight before being confronted and physically ejected from the premises by the husband. During the scuffle, the husband was bitten before he managed to push Margoliash down a flight of patio stairs.
San Rafael Police Department officers strenuously worked to apprehend the suspect, collaborating with the Marin County Sheriff’s Office and the Novato Police Department K-9 unit. Despite extensive efforts to locate Margoliash in the subsequent hours, it wasn't until later that morning that a second incident brought him back into contact with law enforcement. As reported by the care facility's staff, Margoliash posed as an employee of a patient transport service attempting to leave with an elderly patient under pretenses. His ruse was uncovered by vigilant employees who challenged his identity and denied him access to the patient.
It was the alertness of two nurses who observed Margoliash leave the facility and informed a patrolling officer that led to his detention. Margoliash has since made incriminating statements about his involvement in the burglary and attempted kidnapping. Authorities have emphasized the serious nature of the incidents, citing Margoliash's violent criminal history, which includes an impending sentencing for a prior attack at the Islamic Center of Marin.
Anyone with additional information regarding these events is encouraged to contact the San Rafael Police. Tips can be forwarded by calling (415) 485-3000 or their website.
