Man Suspected of Stabbing Rossmoor Jogger Heads Back to Court

Trial is, once again, slated to begin today in the case of a man accused of chasing and repeatedly stabbing a Rossmoor jogger.

An earlier trial date in January was continued.

James Anthony Rivas, who was 18 at the time of the 2012 attack is charged with attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and mayhem. He has pleaded not guilty.

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According to the prosecutors, at about 9 p.m. Oct. 9, 2012, Rivas allegedly approached a 27-year-old woman who was jogging through a residential neighborhood in Rossmoor. Rivas then allegedly snuck up behind the woman and grabbed her and stabbed herseveral times with a knife, cutting her face, back, arm and hand.

After she knocked the knife out of his hand, Rivas allegedly picked the knife up again and chased her and continued to stab her. Rivas is also accused of fleeing the scene after a neighbor heard screaming and came outside. The woman was taken to the hospital, treated for non-life threatening injuries and released.

Two days after the attack in the 3200 block of Bostonian Drive, Orange County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested Rivas, as he was leaving his Rossmoor home at about 7:45 p.m.

At Rivas’ initial court appearance Oct. 29, Orange County Superior Court Judge John Adams doubled the defendant’s bail to $1 million.

-- City News Service contributed to this story.