A 20-year-old Morgan Hill woman is in custody after an early
morning incident involving a knife Sunday. The alleged victim left
the scene before Morgan Hill police arrived, but apparently went to
the police station late this week to talk to detectives
investigating the case.
Morgan Hill – A 20-year-old Morgan Hill woman is in custody after an early morning incident involving a knife Sunday. The alleged victim left the scene before Morgan Hill police arrived, but apparently went to the police station late this week to talk to detectives investigating the case.
The woman was booked into Santa Clara County Jail for alleged assault with a deadly weapon, but according to Morgan Hill Police Department Cmdr. David Swing, charges may not be filed by the Santa Clara District Attorney’s Office because the woman may have been acting in self defense.
Supervising deputy district attorney Frank Carrubba said late Thursday that until his office reads the victim’s statement, there will be no charges filed. Charges may not be filed after the statement is read.
Because the incident involved domestic violence, the Times is not releasing the names of the woman or her mother and stepfather.
Swing said the woman’s mother, 39, and stepfather, 45, were arguing early Sunday morning, and the argument allegedly turned physical as the man began pushing and hitting his wife.
As the woman moved to intervene between the fighting couple, she was hit in the face by the man’s closed fist, Swing said, but it is not clear if the man intentionally hit his stepdaughter or if it was inadvertent as he swung at his wife.
The man then left the west Morgan Hill residence, and the stepdaughter also left, planning to drive to San Jose, Swing said, but she came back after receiving a call from her mother that the man had returned to the residence.
After she returned to the residence, the woman and her stepfather got into an argument in the backyard of the residence, Swing said. As the man walked toward his stepdaughter, she allegedly grabbed a knife that was lying on a table in the backyard. Swing said the report did not indicate what type of knife the woman grabbed.
The woman allegedly slashed out with the knife, striking her stepfather in the chest. It was apparent from the blood at the scene that the man was cut by the knife, but it is unclear at this time how serious his wound was. Swing said one of the people at the scene told officers he had an injury to the chest area that was approximately six inches long.
The man left the scene before officers arrived. Area hospitals were notified that he might seek treatment, requesting contact from the hospital if he did, but there were no reports of similar injuries.
The stepdaughter was arrested at the scene, and police are looking for the stepfather. A report has been filed seeking charges of domestic abuse for the initial incident with the man’s wife.
The woman and her mother refused medical treatment, Swing said.
