Victims describe violent Atwater sickle attack in court

MERCED COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Multiple victims of a March 19, 2025, stabbing onslaught testified successful tribunal Tuesday, recounting a convulsive greeting astatine an Atwater autobus halt arsenic the suspect, identified arsenic Isidro Chavez Gonzalez, appeared earlier a judge.

Prosecutors allege Gonzalez attacked respective radical with a sickle portion they were waiting astatine a autobus stop. During the hearing, Merced County District Attorney Nicole Silvera called witnesses to picture their experiences.

A 65-year-old antheral told the tribunal helium was sitting connected his walker erstwhile helium was struck from behind. When asked astir the contiguous aftermath, helium said, "I called 911 8 times and I was bleeding each implicit the place."

Among those who testified was a young miss who said she was walking location from schoolhouse erstwhile she realized she was being followed. "At that moment, I turned astir and saw that I was being followed. I tried to cross... that's erstwhile I started to get attacked," she said.

The miss told the tribunal the attacker grabbed her by the hairsbreadth and began punching her successful the cervix and head. "I fell to the ground, that's erstwhile I faced the idiosyncratic and I retrieve putting up my hand... I was screaming the full clip I was saying stop," she said.

While testifying, she identified the idiosyncratic she said attacked her. When asked if she saw that idiosyncratic successful court, she responded, "Mhmm," adding, "He's wearing a grey shirt."

The miss testified she suffered lasting injuries from the attack. "I had astir 10 stab wounds," she said. She added, "My hand, my palm, and thumb are permanently numb."

A bystander besides took the stand, describing however helium got connected his electrical scooter astatine 1 constituent to pursuit the suspect. "I attempted to drawback him and archer him that he's not going anywhere," the witnesser said, referring to the suspect.

Authorities said Gonzalez fled the country aft the onslaught and aboriginal stole a vehicle.

Another unfortunate testified that helium was pulled from the driver's spot of his motortruck and stabbed astatine an car shop. When asked if the attacker said anything, the unfortunate replied, "Yes, that helium was going to termination me."

Police said the fishy past led officers connected a pursuit that ended successful a clang disconnected Highway 140. Officers reported uncovering different weapon successful his possession astatine the clip of his arrest.

After proceeding respective hours of testimony, a justice determined determination is capable grounds for the lawsuit to proceed to trial.

"This is simply a precise superior case. We took it precise seriously. We conscionable privation to marque definite that we sphere everyone's close to a just trial," Silvera said.

Gonzalez is expected to instrumentality to tribunal successful 2 weeks, astatine which clip helium whitethorn participate a plea. The lawsuit could past proceed to trial.

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