Santa Maria saw its first aggravated assault case of 2017 on Jan. 3, when two minors ages 15 and 16 were dropped off at the intersection of El Camino and Thornburg streets with stab wounds. The victims were transported to Marian Regional Medical Center with serious injuries.
The Santa Maria Police Department (SMPD) said in a news release that the assault took place during a fight that occurred in the area of the 300 and 400 blocks of W. Hermosa Drive.
“This is the first aggravated assault case of the year and is believed to be criminal street gang related,” the release said. “There are no suspects in custody at this time, and the investigation is continuing.”
The Sun’s calls to SMPD for comment on the case were not returned before press time.
The Jan. 3 stabbing came nearly a year after a Pioneer Valley High School student was stabbed to death by a group of teens on Jan. 25, 2016. Six suspects were arrested for that murder, of whom five were minors. All of the suspects were tried for murder as adults.
That stabbing was also gang-related, and two of the charged suspects—Gerardo Gonzales Flores and Andrew Molina—pleaded guilty to their assault charges and admitted gang connections.
All six Pioneer Valley suspects are due back in court next month. Israel Gaspar Cruz, who was the only adult present at the time of the murder and is accused of wielding the weapon, is scheduled for sentencing on Feb. 23 and 24. Flores and Molina are set to be sentenced on Feb. 8 and 22, respectively.
Carlos Geovani Perez, Pablo Juarez, and Daniel Jaime are scheduled for preliminary hearings on Feb. 23 and 24.
Meanwhile, the city of Santa Maria is ramping up its efforts to combat youth violence with the hire of a full-time outreach coordinator. Eddie Galarza, who began working in the new position on Dec. 27, has worked with local at-risk youth and their families for more than 25 years.
In his position as outreach coordinator, Galarza will collaborate with local partner agencies “to reduce youth violence and juvenile delinquency,” according to a news release from the city.
“Growing up with a single mom, I soon learned to call the streets home,” Galarza said in the release. “Having grown up with this as a model only made me realize as I got older, that it is not the way things should be.”
City staff will establish a policy committee, comprising community stakeholders, and a technical committee, made up of local youth service representatives, to take direction from Galarza to address youth violence issues in Santa Maria.
A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the date of the Pioneer Valley High School student's death.
