Laguna Niguel Resident Charged with Filing False Police Report in Attack

Danielle Rene Deichman, 20, has been charged with filing a false police report for that she was the victim of an attack with details matching a similar crime committed a week earlier in Laguna Hills.

The Laguna Niguel resident was charged Wednesday with one misdemeanor count of filing a false police report and one misdemeanor count of resisting arrest. If convicted, she faces a maximum sentence of one year and six months in jail.

Deichman is out of custody on $500 bail. She is scheduled to be arraigned March 4  at the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach.

On Feb. 2, Deichman reported to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department that she had been attacked while walking on La Paz Road in Laguna Niguel. Deichman is accused of falsely claiming that a man had grabbed her from behind and tried to push her to the ground, but she was able to kick him in the groin and escape.

The described incident was almost identical to an attack that had occurred a week earlier in Laguna Hills.

Following investigation and a review of the statements provided by Deichman, OCSD investigators concluded that Deichman had filed a false police report after fabricating the story. On Feb. 3,  investigators arrested her after conducting a follow-up interview.

While she was being handcuffed, Deichman is accused of struggling and resisting arrest. The arresting officers sustained minor injuries while subduing her.

Last week, Jim Amormino, public information officer for the sheriff's department said: "She heard from a friend about the prior Tuesday's attack and copycatted that.  "We're outraged because it caused a lot of undue fear in the community.''