A Point Loma man has admitted in court that he drove his Jeep at a San Diego police officer during a domestic-violence call, striking the officer and leaving him with serious leg injuries and a dislocated knee. The guilty plea caps a case that started with body-worn-camera video from a January 2025 confrontation and shook the normally quiet Wooded Area neighborhood, where residents say the crash reignited worries about officer safety on volatile domestic calls.
Guilty Plea and What the Court Heard
William Stephens, 66, entered guilty pleas to attempted murder of a police officer along with related domestic-violence counts and is expected to face roughly 12 years in state prison, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. He entered the plea Tuesday in San Diego Superior Court, the newspaper reported.
How Prosecutors Say It Unfolded
Prosecutors told the court that officers were dispatched on Jan. 23, 2025, to a residence in the 3500 block of Inez Street after Stephens' wife called 911 and reported that he had threatened her and cut her hand with a knife. At a preliminary hearing, body-worn-camera footage played in court appeared to show Stephens' Jeep veering toward Officer Matthew Salisbury and striking him. The Jeep then crashed into a mailbox and a parked car, leaving Salisbury with fractures and a dislocated knee, according to Times of San Diego.
Police Release and Evidence
In a Jan. 24, 2025 news release, the San Diego Police Department said a law-enforcement helicopter recorded video of the suspect vehicle hitting an officer, and that other officers arrested the suspect after the Jeep struck a mailbox and another car. The release identified the suspect as 65-year-old William Stephens and said the injured officer was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, per the city statement.
Defense, Prior Hearings and Next Steps
During pretrial hearings, defense attorneys argued that Stephens may have been heavily intoxicated and had not intentionally driven into the officer. A judge at a July 2025 hearing rejected that claim and ordered the case to proceed, according to court coverage. With the guilty plea now entered, the court will schedule sentencing, and prosecutors and the defense are expected to return to finalize a recommendation and any plea agreement terms, as outlined by Times of San Diego and local court records.
Community Safety and Police Contact
Police have asked anyone with additional information about the Jan. 23, 2025 incident to contact the Homicide Unit, according to the department's release. Reporters note that the case has fueled renewed discussion about how officers handle volatile domestic-violence calls and the dangers they face when they arrive at active scenes, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune and the San Diego Police Department.
