A Riverside man is behind bars after allegedly grabbing a pair of scissors and stabbing his mother, father and sister during a heated family argument at their home last Sunday. The suspect's own relatives held him to the floor until officers arrived, according to police.
Officers were called to a single-family residence in the 9600 block of Filmore Avenue after the confrontation broke out, as reported by the Press-Enterprise. Family members told police the suspect had been acting erratically before the violence started, and that he threw laundry detergent at relatives in addition to grabbing the scissors. Detective Steven Espinosa said the man allegedly stabbed his mother, father and sister with the scissors during the altercation.
Family Restrained Him Until Police Arrived
According to Espinosa, the suspect's mother, father and sister worked together to hold him down on the floor of the home until officers could take him into custody. All three relatives sustained minor injuries and were taken to the hospital for treatment, Espinosa said. Police arrested the man on Sept. 6 on suspicion of stabbing family members with scissors during the argument.
He was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and taken to the Robert Presley Detention Center, the seven-story downtown Riverside jail at 4000 Orange Street, which opened in 1989 and has a capacity of 1,100 inmates, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Office. It remains unclear whether the Riverside Police Department has released his official name and age, and whether drugs or an underlying mental health crisis contributed to the erratic behavior family members described.
What Charges Could Follow
Assault with a deadly weapon under California Penal Code Section 245(a)(1) is a wobbler offense, meaning prosecutors can file it as either a felony or a misdemeanor, per the Kann Law Office. A felony conviction can bring four years in state prison and fines up to $10,000, while a misdemeanor charge tops out at a year in county jail. The firm notes that an object may qualify as a deadly weapon under state law when used in a threatening or injurious manner.
Prosecutors could also weigh separate domestic battery counts under Penal Code Section 243(e)(1) or, if injuries were more serious, Section 243(d) for battery causing serious bodily injury, according to the Shouse Law Group. It is not yet known whether prosecutors will seek any sentencing enhancement, what formal charges the Riverside County District Attorney's Office will file or what bail amount, if any, a judge will set at his first court appearance.
According to the Assembly Budget Committee, California law enforcement received 196,569 domestic violence calls in 2002, of which 119,850 involved weapons, including firearms and knives.
Court Proceedings and Possible Mental Health Review
Criminal proceedings can take place at the Riverside Hall of Justice at 4100 Main Street, according to EG Attorneys. The Robert Presley Detention Center also runs in-custody Detention Mental Health Services through Riverside University Health System. Defense attorneys might raise concerns about whether a diagnosed mental disorder contributed to the alleged offense.
The Filmore Avenue incident adds to a string of recent Riverside County cases involving family violence and edged weapons. Hoodline previously reported on a fatal Mead Valley stabbing, focusing on that homicide.
Riverside families dealing with domestic violence are also mentioned in connection with the Riverside County Family Justice Center. NORA, the reimagined Riverside Area Rape Crisis Center, also offers crisis support and advocacy during law-enforcement interviews.
