On Thursday, February 2nd, a lone Stevenson Ranch resident was assaulted by six males during a verbal altercation between the victim and one of the suspects. According to Santa Clarita Sheriff Station deputies, the verbal altercation stemmed from past conflicts between the victim and some members of the suspect’s party. At this point, it’s unclear what turned the verbal confrontation into a physical one, but at some point, six suspects allegedly assaulted and beat the victim to the ground and kicked him in the head multiple times.
Later on that day, three suspects were located and arrested by Santa Clarita Sheriff Station deputies. The suspects were charged with assault with a deadly weapon, shod foot, and assault with intent to commit great bodily injury.
While the alleged attackers were not armed at the time, it’s not uncommon for situations like this to still result in a charges of “assault with a deadly weapon.” Under California Law, the definition of a “deadly weapon” is any object, instrument or weapon that which is used in a manner that is capable of producing death or great bodily harm. Typically, this definition doesn’t cover one’s hands and feet unless it is done with force that can inflict great bodily harm. To put it simply, if you hit or kick someone hard enough, your hands and feet can be considered “deadly weapons.”
Regarding the “shod foot” charge, this is a relatively rare occurrence and is usually only charged when an assailant kicks their victim. When this happens, courts will sometimes inquire as to the makeup and nature of the shoe the alleged assailant wore when kicking the victim. If the show is deemed dangerous (such as steel-toe boots), the charge of “shod foot” may be pressed. In cases where the injury the victim incurred are severe enough, it may not matter what type of shoe the assailant wore.
Two of the suspects were young adults, while the third was a juvenile. Both adults were taken into Santa Clarita Sheriff Station custody in lieu of $30,000 bail, while no information was released regarding the juvenile suspect.
