Salinas man faces 18 years for stabbing family members with screwdriver on Halloween

SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV)- Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni said that a 51-year-old Salinas man pled no contest to an attempted murder charge that occurred on Halloween in 2022.

Rodrigo Gonzalez was charged with one count of attempted murder with enhancements for personally using a deadly weapon and personally inflicting great bodily injury by domestic violence.

On Oct. 31 of 2022, Jane Doe said she no longer wanted to live with him due to his drug use and physical abuse. He started arguing with her and then blocked the room's only exit, this prevented her and other family members from leaving, said Pacioni.

One family member called 911 and Gonzalez knocked Jane Doe to the ground and began stabbing her in the head and body with a screwdriver around 14 times.

Pacioni said most of the stab wounds resulted in scarring and some wounds needed staples. One of the stabs resulted in a fractured vertebra in Jane Doe's spinal cord that caused paralysis in her legs for multiple days and long-term pain and numbness to parts of her body, said Pacioni.

Another family member jumped in during the stabbing and protected Jane Doe's head with her hand. The other family member was then stabbed five times with the screwdriver by Gonzalez, said Pacioni.

Family members and neighbors were able to pull the suspect off Jane Doe. Salinas Police arrived and Gonzalez was still trying to rush at her.

Gonzalez then ran from police and yelled that he had a gun and goated police to shoot him, said Pacioni. He then climbed on the roof of the house, jumped off and broke his leg in two places when he was finally arrested.

Gonzalez will be sentenced and faces 18 years in prison.