Gilroyan Faces Attempted Murder Charge for Stabbing of Pacifica Man

Gilroy resident Richard Velasquez, 28, faces charges of felony attempted murder for allegedly stabbing a Pacifica man in the neck and face several times in San Martin. 

Deputies responded to a disturbance report from neighbors witnessing "a man running from house-to-house screaming for help," on May 30 at about 10:30 p.m.

The unidentified victim, a white, 47-year-old male, was reportedly riding his bike around the area of Foothill Avenue and Church Street when Velasquez began stabbing him with an orange-handled knife, Sgt. Jose Cardoza of the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s office said. 

"The victim tells deputies he stopped to rest at a nearby intersection when he was suddenly attacked from behind," Cardoza said. "It looks like after this happened the victim was running from house-to-house screaming."

Deputies made contact with the victim after receiving a call from county communications that a “stabbing victim was just admitted to a hospital a couple of miles away.”

“He said he knew he was being stabbed. He started bleeding from his head and neck,” Cardoza said. “The victim didn't know who was attacking him because it happened from behind, but was able to describe [the suspect] as a Hispanic adult wearing dark clothing and [with] a shaved head.”

While responding to the disturbance call, deputies found Velasquez behind a house on Foothill Avenue, and, based on his erratic behavior and high-pulse rate, determined he was under the influence of cocaine or methamphetamine.

Velasquez was subsequently transferred to a Bay Area hospital for treatment, Cardoza said. 

“He was extremely sweaty, yelling hysterically, flailing [his] arms and legs,” he said. “The suspect was yelling that he was assaulted by 10 guys—he was not making any sense."

Deputies located the orange-handled knife, with blood on it, in a nearby ditch on Foothill Avenue, and began contacting nearby residents for more information. Cardoza said it’s unclear how the victim arrived at the hospital, and said deputies don't know how many times the victim was stabbed, but that it was more than twice based on the stab wounds in his neck and head.

Velasquez was ultimately arrested on suspicion of attempted murder based on the victim’s injuries, the fact that the suspect was found nearby and the location of the nearby evidence, Cardoza said. 

“[The attempted murder charge is] based on the injuries sustained by the victim, because they were life threatening,” he said. 

Velasquez is currently in custody and will appear in court on June 22 in department 92 of the South County Courthouse in Morgan Hill, Cardoza said. 

The victim's condition is unknown at this time. 

Patch will have updates when and if more information becomes available.