A 37-year-old Victorville man identified as John Chavez was arrested Wednesday night and booked on suspicion of attempted murder and robbery. The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said Chavez allegedly took a bottle of alcohol from a 26-year-old wheelchair user, pushed him to the ground and threatened him with a knife.
Sheriff’s Account of the Incident
The sheriff’s account, reported by VVNG, says Victorville Station deputies were called to the 15000 block of Palmdale Road at about 9:35 p.m. on October 21. Investigators said Chavez approached the victim in a parking lot and took a bottle of alcohol from him.
The department said the victim fell after Chavez pushed him out of his wheelchair. Chavez allegedly assaulted him several times, then displayed a knife and threatened to harm him.
Search and Hospitalization
Deputies searched nearby and found Chavez, according to Victor Valley News. The victim was taken to a local hospital; officials did not provide details about his condition.
Chavez was arrested and booked at the High Desert Detention Center in Adelanto on suspicion of attempted murder and robbery, as noted by Victor Valley News, citing a written statement from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. It is worth noting that a separate search-result snippet referencing the same report identified the suspect as John Ramirez rather than John Chavez, a discrepancy that has not been resolved, as Victor Valley News reported.
Violent Victimization and Disability
National data show that people with disabilities were disproportionately represented among victims of violent crime: according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, they accounted for 26% of nonfatal violent crime victims from 2017 to 2019 while making up about 12% of the population. These figures are national and do not describe Victorville or this incident.
How to Report Information
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the Victorville Station at (760) 241-2911 or Sheriff's Dispatch at (760) 956-5001. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling or texting “REPORT” to We-Tip at 844-909-3006.
