Salinas taxi driver and son stabbed after refusing service to man

UPDATE: The suspect accused of stabbing a Salinas taxi driver and his son plead not guilty in his first court appearance on Monday.

39-year-old Joshua Guevara stood in front of a Monterey County Judge to make that plea.

He is accused of stabbing one person, robbing them, and then stabbing a second person who tried to intervene.

Guevara is currently booked into the Monterey County Jail on a $265,000 bond.

He is expected back in court on August 28 for a Calendar Call before a scheduled preliminary exam hearing two days later.

ORIGINAL STORY

A Salinas taxi driver and his son are healing Monday after police say 39-year-old Joshua Guevara stabbed them Saturday night.

Guevara is also accused of robbing the taxi driver during the altercation on the 2000 block of Sucre Court.

Police say the attack started when a taxi driver refused to give Guevara a ride. That’s when they say the suspect attacked the driver and robbed him. The driver’s son tried to intervene shortly after, but was also stabbed.

“He almost lost his life just to save me,” said the taxi driver about his son over the phone with KION. “(The attacker) didn’t stab me internally, he only scratched me in my face, ears and my cheeks.”

One of the victims sustained wounds to their face and neck area.

Witnesses saw Guevara running North Main Street, and he was eventually found by police in at the Buffalo Wild Wings bathroom nearby after an extensive search.

The victims were taken to a local hospital to receive treatment for their injuries.

The general manager of Yellow Cab of Monterey County, Hope Ramirez, says the taxi driver who was attacked used to work for her.

Ramirez says her taxi drivers face plenty of dangers on the job, and she does not allow them to work late at night in Salinas.

“They’re not allowed to carry weapons, I believe. Some have some pepper spray, but it really comes down to their gut feeling,” said Ramirez.

Thanks to the help of the community, police were able to apprehend Guevara quickly. Police say it is important to keep yourself safe if you see a violent altercation take place and just be a witness.

But police also say it is a personal decision, like in the case of a son saving a father.

“Who knows, the fact that he intervened could have helped the first victim in not being more seriously hurt,” said Miguel Cabrera, a Salinas Police Department spokesperson.

Guevara has been booked into the Monterey County Jail and is facing attempted murder and robbery charges.