Deputies Honored for Arrest in the Brutal Attack of a Rossmoor Jogger

It was a violent crime in a normally quiet community, but officials say deputies, especially four investigators, treated it with skill.

The Rossmoor Community Services District honored a quartet of Orange County Sheriff’s Department deputies for their work on the attack of a jogger stabbed multiple times last year.

In October 2012, James Anthony Rivas, an 18-year-old Rossmoor resident, was arrested two days after the attack. Rivas allegedly stabbed the 27-year-old woman while she was running through Rossmoor at night. She sustained multiple wounds but survived her injuries.

RCSD President Michael Maynard said the investigators and the entire department shined in a “dark moment in our community.”

“Today I’m going to honor some of these officers for going above and beyond the call of duty, “said Maynard before handing out the framed certificates of recognition Tuesday night.  

Maynard presented awards to Investigators Joseph Ferrante, Lavinia Vega and Margie Sheehan. The fourth honoree, Investigator, Kenneth Olszewski did not attend, and OSCD Lt. Rob Gunzel accepted the award for him.

“Thanks to Investigator Ferrante’s efforts and the efforts of his fellow investigators, the suspect has been arrested and is awaiting trial,” read the recognition on one of the four-framed certificates.

Gunzel said many deputies put in work on the case, but those four played a major part, knocking on doors, interviewing people and locating an important piece of evidence that lead to Rivas' capture. 

Gunzel added that deputies tend to avoid the limelight instead of seeking an award ceremony.

“Most cops would rather be in the line of fire than go through that,” Gunzel said. “They don’t want the attention.”

Rivas is due back in Orange County Court Thursday for a preliminary hearing. Rivas pleaded not guilty to one count each of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, mayhem and attempted second-degree robbery, with sentence-enhancing allegations of attempted premeditated murder and inflicting great bodily harm, according to court records.

At about 9 p.m. Oct. 23, Rivas allegedly approached a 27-year-old woman, whose name has not been released and is referred to as "Jane Doe," who was jogging through a residential neighborhood in Rossmoor, according to the D.A.

Rivas then allegedly snuck up behind Doe, grabbed her and stabbed her several times with a knife, cutting her face, back, arm and hand.

After Doe knocked the knife out of his hand, Rivas allegedly picked the knife up again and chased Doe and continued to stab her. Rivas is also accused of fleeing the scene after a neighbor heard screaming and came outside, said Gail Krause of the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

Doe was taken to the hospital, treated for non-life threatening injuries and released. Rivas, who lives about three blocks from where the assault happened, ran away when approached by sheriff's deputies two days after the incident, but deputies quickly took him into custody, Krause said. --City News Service Contributed to this story.