Crime & Safety
Prosecutors to Present Case Against Rossmoor Stabbing Suspect
The hearing will determine if there's enough evidence to hold a trial for James Anthony Rivas, 18.
By John Crandall
A Rossmoor man accused of stabbing a female jogger multiple times will hear the case against him at a Thursday court hearing to determine if there is enough evidence to go to trial.
After several hearing continuances, Orange County Senior Deputy District attorney Brett Brian said he’s optimistic the preliminary hearing for 18-year-old James Anthony Rivas will go forward Thursday.
“I think we’re going forward, and I’m ready to go forward," said Brian. “I’m very confident with the case. A lot of these facts will come out tomorrow in the prelim, but I think it’s going to be pretty evident that this is the guy who did it.”
According to prosecutors, Rivas allegedly tried to kill a Rossmoor woman Oct. 9 as she was jogging one evening.
During the hearing, Brian plans to call to the stand at least one Orange County Sheriff’s Department deputy who responded to the scene of the crime and at least one of the officers who assisted in Rivas’ arrest.
The hearing has been continued multiple times due to scheduling conflicts. Brian said he wants to get the case started soon and knows the victim feels the same way. However, he said, he does not plan to call the victim to the stand until the trial because he doesn't want to force her to undergo a harrowing questioning more than once.
Mark Fredrick, Rivas’ defense attorney, said he hadn’t spoken with prosecutors yet, but agreed the scheduled hearing was likely to go through.
“I think we’re going to go forward but, you know, things change,” Fredrick said.
He said he didn’t want to comment on the defense’s case.
“I’m happy to when the time comes, but for now I don’t have any comment,” Fredrick said.
According to Fredrick, the Rivas’ family did not have any statement to release.
On Nov. 5, 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.
If convicted of all charges, Rivas faces a maximum sentence of life in state prison.
According to the prosecutors, at about 9 p.m. Oct. 9, Rivas allegedly approached a 27-year-old woman who was jogging through a residential neighborhood in Rossmoor. Rivas then allegedly snuck up behind the woman and grabbed her and stabbed her several times with a knife, cutting her face, back, arm and hand.
After she knocked the knife out of his hand, Rivas allegedly picked the knife up again and chased her and continued to stab her. Rivas is also accused of fleeing the scene after a neighbor heard screaming and came outside. The woman was taken to the hospital, treated for non-life threatening injuries and released.
Two days after the attack in the 3200 block of Bostonian Drive, Orange County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested Rivas, as he was leaving his Rossmoor home at about 7:45 p.m.
At Rivas' initial court appearance Oct. 29, Orange County Superior Court Judge John Adams doubled the defendant's bail to $1 million.
-- City News Service contributed to this story.
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