Potter Valley Man Arrested After Allegedly Threatening Acquaintance with Kitchen Knife
Suspect allegedly threatened to kill the victim after verbal altercation
An arrest is an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
A Potter Valley man was arrested July 3 after allegedly threatening to kill an acquaintance with a kitchen knife following a fight at a residence on Hawn Creek Road in Potter Valley, according to the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies responded at about 10:40 p.m. to the 12000 block of Hawn Creek Road after receiving a report of an ongoing fight involving a knife. The California Highway Patrol and Potter Valley Fire Department assisted with the response.
When deputies arrived, they were directed to the residence where the suspect, identified as Samuel Romero-Gonzalez, was believed to be. According to the Sheriff’s Office, Romero-Gonzalez fled into a nearby vineyard after becoming aware of law enforcement’s presence but was located a short time later and taken into custody without incident.
Investigators said Romero-Gonzalez and the 38-year-old victim, who knew each other, had been socializing with several other people before becoming involved in a verbal argument that escalated into a physical fight. Authorities said Romero-Gonzalez allegedly struck the victim, who defended himself, before other people separated the two men.
According to witness statements, Romero-Gonzalez was then escorted into a nearby residence, where he allegedly armed himself with a fixed-blade kitchen knife and attempted to leave while threatening to kill the victim. Other people at the scene prevented him from leaving the residence, allowing the victim to leave the property and call law enforcement, the Sheriff’s Office said.
The victim was treated at the scene for minor injuries. Another person who intervened during the initial altercation also received treatment for minor injuries.
Romero-Gonzalez was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and making criminal threats. He was booked into the Mendocino County Jail, where he is being held on $50,000 bail.