A World Cup Soccer match may have been the trigger for an
attempted murder Sunday evening as one man allegedly beat and
stabbed another.
Morgan Hill – A World Cup Soccer match may have been the trigger for an attempted murder Sunday evening as one man allegedly beat and stabbed another.
According to Morgan Hill police Cmdr. Joe Sampson, David L. Cortez, 41, a South County vagrant, was booked into Santa Clara County Jail on charges of alleged attempted homicide.
The incident began on a vacant lot near Mr. Hong’s Chinese Restaurant at 16745 S. Monterey Road around 4:15pm, according to the alleged victim, Juan P. Chapa, 53, a Gilroy resident.
Cortez and Chapa were drinking and arguing over whether Cortez is from Argentina. Chapa is from Mexico, and Mexico’s loss to Argentina in a second-round World Cup game eliminated the El Tri team from the worldwide event.
Sampson said the argument intensified as Cortez allegedly began to beat Chapa about the head and face until he went down. When Cortez and a witness left the area, according to the police report, Chapa remained on the ground. When Cortez returned, approximately 15 minutes later, he found Chapa sill on the ground and allegedly stabbed him three times.
Police were contacted by someone passing by who noticed Chapa on the ground, Sampson said, and when officers arrived, they found Chapa seated at an outdoor table receiving treatment from paramedics. He was later taken by ambulance to Saint Louise Regional Hospital, where he remained overnight. He was treated for knife wounds to thigh and right arm, in addition to severe facial injuries.
Cortez was arrested by officers one-half mile from the scene while allegedly attempting to run away. Sampson said his boots were covered with blood.
While officers were investigating, Sampson said, Cpl. Michael Brookman found what could be the weapon used, a 3-inch black folding knife. Cortez told officers that Chapa had pulled a gun on him during the argument, but officers could not find evidence to support his claim.
Chapa told officers that he believes he was beaten for almost half an hour.
“Due to the violent nature of the assault and the potential for death caused by head injury and a lengthy beating, (Cortez) was booked … on charges of attempted homicide,” Sampson said.
