Crime & Safety
Attack On Elderly Hayward Man: Suspect Charged
The 81-year-old victim was stabbed in the head multiple times and then hit with a metal pipe.
HAYWARD, CA — A 23-year-old man was charged for allegedly stabbing an elderly man numerous times in the head in Hayward, Alameda County prosecutors said Tuesday.
James Lambert is facing charges of assault with a deadly weapon, elder and dependent adult abuse, infliction of injury, and a great bodily injury enhancement, the Alameda County District Attorney's Office said in a news release.
On Aug. 17, Lambert allegedly stabbed Francisco Gonzalez, 81, eight times in the head at Whitman Street in the city. Witnesses saw Lambert then struck Gonzalez with a metal pipe while the elderly man laid on the ground, prosecutors said.
Find out what's happening in Castro Valleyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Lambert's unprovoked attack was stopped by an off-duty security guard, the District Attorney's office said.
Due to his injuries, Gonzalez was rushed to Eden Medical Center. He is currently in critical condition, prosecutors said.
Find out what's happening in Castro Valleyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
"This case presents extraordinary circumstances - a senseless and brutal attack on a vulnerable victim," Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price said in a statement.
Lambert faces nine years in prison, if convicted. With the great bodily injury enhancement, an additional five-year jail time can be added to his sentence, prosecutors said.
Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area.
