Man Sentenced to 13 Years for Stabbing Rossmoor Jogger

A 20-year-old man was sentenced to 13 years in prison today for stabbing a woman in Rossmoor almost three years ago.

James Anthony Rivas was convicted last month of attempted murder for the October 2012 attack on a 27-year-old woman jogging through a residential neighborhood.

It was about 9 p.m. when Rivas, 18 years old at the time, ran up behind the victim, knocked her down and stabbed her multiple times.

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The victim suffered wounds to her face, back, an arm and a hand, but the injuries were not life-threatening.

Rivas ran away when a neighbor who heard screaming came over to help, prosecutors said.

Jurors deadlocked 11-1 against a sentencing enhancement that would have led to a life sentence, according to Rivas’ attorney, Mark Fredrick.

Jurors found true sentencing enhancements of causing great bodily injury and the personal use of a knife, Fredrick said.

“He was approaching her to take her iPod from her when she turned around, startled, and it turned into an attack,” Fredrick told City News Service. “It was a rash act. He was extremely intoxicated at the time.”

Rivas had downed five 40-ounce malt liquor beers before the attack, Fredrick said.

Rivas told a friend before the attack he was “going to get some money,” and then he was seen about 8 p.m. that night begging for change from customers at an Arco station, Fredrick said.

“It really appeared to us it was an attempted robbery that turned into attempted murder,” the attorney said.

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City News Service