Castaic assault leads to mayhem charge for a Santa Clarita man who allegedly performed a “slide tackle” into someone else. While grappling on the ground, the suspect allegedly bit the victim’s finger, an injury that required medical treatment at a local hospital. The suspect was arrested by Santa Clarita Sheriff Station deputies and charged with one count of assault with a deadly weapon and another count of mayhem. He was being held in lieu of $100,000 bail, though he posted bail and was released.
Assault with a deadly weapon is covered under California Penal Code 245(a)(1)PC and is defined as performing an assault with an item that is regarded as a “deadly weapn” OR by means of force that is likely to produce great bodily injury. One might typically regard assault with a deadly weapon as being associated with a knife, a gun, baseball bat, screwdriver, etc. – and they’d be right. Most charges regarding 245(a)(1)PC do include the use of some dangerous instrument or another. However, in certain attacks, the human body itself can be considered a “deadly weapon.”
Misdemeanor penalties for 245(a)(1)PC include up to 1-year in county jail and a possible fine. The penalty for felony charges ranges from 1 to 4-years in California state prison. However, if the victim is a protected person (such as a police officer) or the weapon used in the assault was a firearm, the penalty can be more severe.
Mayhem is a crime not often mentioned, as it tends to be rather rare. It’s covered under California Penal Codes 203 and 205 PC, and is described as maliciously:
- Depriving someone of a part of their body
- Disabling, disfiguring, or removing a part of someone’s body
- Cutting or disabling their tongue
- Removing someone’s eye
- Cutting, slitting or removing someone’s nose, ear or lip
Under California Law, mayhem is always considered a felony. As per PC 203, the penalties for mayhem include 2 to 8-years in California state prison and a fine of up to $10,000. However, 205 PC or “aggravated mayhem” can be penalized by life in prison with the possibility of parole.
